


The Christmas Wish

by NympheSama



Category: Endless Summer (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Emotional Constipation, Eventual Smut, Gay Sex, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-17 03:23:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 50,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16966758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NympheSama/pseuds/NympheSama
Summary: Will Taylor be able to tell whats real and whats not, when he makes a wish over christmas?Unprepared for the 'help' which comes his way, Taylor isn't sure he's even ready for his wish to be granted...Will he risk everything for a chance at love, or lose it all?





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shadow15](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow15/gifts).



> Okay, okay okay... so, i know i was gonna post a christmas ONE SHOT but, this is crazy long already and unless i do a huge time skip its hardly gonna be anywhere near done so... what the hell - tis the season to give and all, right?
> 
> Anyway - i wanted to do something a little different from your average, secret santa fic... i hope you enjoy what i have come up with and know that every single one of you reading are the inspiration which drives me to keep writing; every day ♡
> 
> Please let me know what you think! And i will try to have the rest finished in time for christmas day (or as close as i can manage!)
> 
> x My love to you all x

**The Christmas Wish.**

**Part One.**

Taylor hummed a soft jingle to himself, pausing only briefly to viciously hammer a pin into a particularly stubborn and hard spot on his ceiling. Task achieved, he smiled and continued to hum quietly, as he stepped off the ladder and checks that his streamers were level.

"Can't have wonky streamers over the holidays. That would just be _terrible."_ He snorted, rolling his eyes as he imagined his perfectionist mothers horror. Pleased with his success, he moved his step ladder across the apartment and began to hang an identical chain of streamers opposite the original; creating a perfectly symmetrical pattern which he was confident nobody would be able to poke fun at. When a knock sounded at his door, he turned with an excited squeak, discarding the star he'd been planning to hang in the centre of his living room so he could hurry to the door.

Taylor gasped, a hand rising to his chest as he flung open the door, a huge smile lighting his face. "Where have you _been_ all my life?!" He demanded, as a handsome man with short black hair leaned against his doorframe.

"Seeking adventure and romance in the wild, wild... world." The man said dramatically, only to trail off uncertainly, as Taylor laughed. "Yeah, yeah okay, it sounded good in my head." He groused, pushing away from the doorframe with a wide grin.

"Dude, when did you get back?" Taylor asked, eagerly drawing the other man into a fierce embrace. "God, Diego... it feels like I haven't seen you in... well, _years!"_  

"Its been three months, Taylor." Diego snorted, pulling free of their hug to make a show of rolling his eyes. "Did you really miss me that much?" He asked, raising a brow as Taylor huffed and looked away, his cheeks dusting with the first hints of a blush as he pointedly refused to answer.

"So," he said instead, throwing his arm aside as he stepped back, inviting his friend inside. "How long are you sticking around for this time?" He asked, closing the door after his friend before following him through to the living room.

"Nowhere near long enough to correct this god-awful display." Diego sniffed, eyeing Taylors symmetrical decorations dubiously. _"Dude..."_ He said, frowning as he turned to Taylor, who toyed with the hem of his shirt guiltily. "What the hell, I thought we agreed you wouldn't keep doing this to yourself." He sighed, folding his arms over his chest as Taylor fidgeted and avoided meeting his accusatory gaze.

"I... have no idea what you're talking about. This is just... me, ya know, decorating for Christmas." Taylor said stiffly, breezing past Diego to pick up his star and hang it from the centre of the ceiling.

"No, this is _you_ going overboard for your asshole family, who will probably never even show up... _again."_ Diego corrected, scowling as Taylor stubbornly made a show of ignoring him, and began to string a row of delicate bells across each of his windows. "Oh, come on, Taylor don't do the kicked puppy, sulking thing..." Diego sighed, running a hand through his hair guiltily. "Dude, you know I just... I hate when you get your hopes up like this and they let you down again."

Taylor grimaced, but finally stopped his determined decorating to look around his living room. "... I know, Diego. I _know."_ He said quietly, sighing as he turned to face his friend with a small, guilty smile. "I guess its just a force of habit... I can't help wanting them to come and see that I really _am_ doing fine out here... I just need them to see that." He said, fiddling with a small bell nervously. "I get that they expected me to go home after the whole, ya know, relationship and career thing fell through... but-"

 _"Buuuuut,_ you're an adult and they need to stop thinking they can snap their fingers to call you home, like a lost little puppy?" Diego chimed in, sniggering when Taylors worried expression melted into one of exasperation, as he rolled his eyes at his friend.

"Dude, you've got like, super sassy and confident since you got married." Taylor snorted, bumping his fist to Diego's shoulder playfully. "It suits you." He added fondly, smiling at his friend ruefully.

"Yeah well, one day you'll find your Mr. Right too. Then we can be super sassy and confident together." Diego huffed, blushing slightly at the mention of his marriage. "Maybe then you'll stop this whole, desperately seeking family approval thing..." He added snidely, sighing as he grabbed a string of trumpeting angels. "But, until then... where are these little _eyesores_ going?" He asked, smirking when Taylor broke out in a radiant and beaming smile.

For the next several hours they decorated Taylors modest apartment with painstaking accuracy, trading jokes and stories of their differing lives since Diego had last been in town, until finally the job was complete. "So, with this final touch," Diego said, handing Taylor a beautiful fairy in a glittering deep blue dress to top his small tree. "We are officially done being boring, and can binge watch Supernatural, Sunset Beach, Deadwood and fantastically awful horror films, _yes?"_

Taylor rolled his eyes, snorting as he carefully settled the fairy on the tree top. "Your Christmas spirit is truly inspiring, dude." He snickered, nudging Diego's shoulder fondly as he stepped off the ladder and gazed up at the glittering fairy adorning his tree. "But, sucks for _you,_ that I have to work tonight." He added, turning on his heel and smirking at Diego, before ducking past him to head to his bedroom.

"What? Dude, _no!"_ Diego complained, trailing behind him to lean against his bedroom doorframe, pouting as he folded his arms over his chest.

"Dude, _yes."_ Taylor scoffed, laughing at Diego's outrage. "I am _not_ phoning in sick again just to binge watch hot guys with their shirts off again... I almost got _fired_ last year." He huffed, ducking into his closet and grabbing his uniform, before draping over the end of his bed.

"But... _but..."_ Diego stammered, his expression crestfallen as Taylor folded his arms over his chest and raised a brow at him. "Dude... best friend _bonding..."_

"You _do_ realise I will still be around in the daytimes?" Taylor laughed, rolling his eyes as he moved closer to his friend. "I mean, provided you're not disappearing off again right away."

"... _No..."_ Diego hedged, glancing away as he bit his lip. Taylor sighed, his smile dimming slightly as he cleared his throat.

"Oh, well..." He began, pausing awkwardly for a moment. "We can still grab brunch at least? Before you go?" He asked hopefully, fingering the small cord bracelet he wore nervously.

Diego caught the movement and smiled, capturing Taylors hand with his own. _"Hell_ yeah, we can." He assured, as Taylors smile brightened again and he quickly checked his watch.

"Well... I guess we have time to watch just a couple episodes of Supernatural, before I really ought to catch a little sleep..." He offered, grinning when Diego's jaw dropped as if offended.

"One does not merely 'watch just a _couple_ of episodes' when it comes to Supernatural, dude." He replied haughtily, as Taylor laughed and allowed himself to be eagerly steered back into his living room, resigning himself to phoning into work sick.

It was with a huge yawn, that he saw Diego off several hours later, his friend hugging him tightly a long heartbeat, before finally heading out to meet up with his husband at their hotel. Taylor smiled as he shut his door and moved back to his small couch, happy that his friend had met Varyyn and an inexhaustible source of confidence and energy in his partner. _What I wouldn't give._.. He thought briefly, before shaking his head with a huff. "No, no, no... Relationships are nothing but _trouble,_ Taylor. Look where the last one got you." He reminded himself aloud, his mood souring as he remembered the blind devotion he'd given to the man he'd followed from his hometown, family and friends. He shook his head slowly, recalling the gut wrenching panic and pain, when the man had hence decided six months later, that they were no longer 'compatible', due to Taylors rising dedication to his job, over his lover.

Taylor sighed, looking around his apartment with a sad smile as he took in the perfect decorations his friend had helped him to hang. "One day they'll come around..." He mumbled, thinking of his family and the fury they still held on to, that he hadn't immediately crawled back home and begged for forgiveness. Taylor grimaced at their refusal to see things from his perspective. He had simply grown too fond of his life, his apartment and his job to return home, yet apparently; that was something his family could never manage to understand, or forgive him for. He sighed again, as he examined his apartment; so empty like his life, and as his eyes fell upon his tree, Taylor couldn't help the sting of loneliness which swept through him.

"Despite everything that's happened, 'spite knowing better..." He murmured quietly, slowly drawing in a deep breath as he raised a hand to rub absently at his vaguely aching chest. "I still... wish..." He hummed, his eyelids drooping as he rolled his head across the back of his couch, his blurring gaze returning to the glittering fairy atop his tree. "... I could find someone... who can really, just love _me."_ He mumbled, as his eyelids slipped closed once more, the glittering of his fairy tree topper the last thing he saw, as he drifted off to sleep.

 _"Oohhh..."_ A quiet groan of frustration awoke Taylor only a short while later, his eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks briefly, before he slowly peeled his eyes open. _"Oohhh,_ hells bells..." 

Taylor sat up sharply, yelping in surprise at the foreign voice coming from somewhere within his apartment. He frowned, looking around his living room with still tired eyes, the room otherwise empty besides himself. "Guess I was must have been half asleep..." He sighed, rubbing his eyes as he got up and turned on the light, strolling through to his kitchen to find something to eat. "Better stay up now anyway, else I won't sleep before work tomorrow..." He grumbled, grimacing when he caught sight of the popcorn strewn counter. _"Diego..."_ He huffed in fond exasperation, shaking his head at his friends messiness. With a small grin, he shrugged his shoulders and swept the spilt popcorn into a bowl, before returning to the living room. 

"Well, Ben Evans..." He groaned, crouching before his tv and selecting a data stick he reserved for his Sunset Beach episodes. "Let's see if we can't find a scene where you're shirtless, huh?"

"Ooh, that'd be great... All the guys were just the sexiest ever on that show!" A cheerful, feminine voice giggled, causing Taylor to break out in a wide grin. "And lets face it, some of those girls weren't exactly shabby!"

"Oh yeah, and with both Casey and Michael as lifeguards, they're rarely even wearing shirts in the first _pla-aaaaahhh!"_ Taylor swung around suddenly, cutting off his excited agreement with a sharp cry of surprise.

 _"Aaaah!"_ Shrieked an unfamiliar girl, her eyes widening in surprise as he fell off the back of Taylors couch, landing in a tangle of limbs and a sea of long, vibrant red hair. _"Oohhh,_ ouchie..." She groaned, as she righted herself, Taylors wide eyes staring at her in disbelief as his heart raced in his chest. She sat up with her hand to her head, a delicate frown creasing her brow as she looked over and met Taylors shocked gaze.

 _"Aaaahhh!"_ He yelled again, startling her to react similarly. He scrambled backwards, panic surging through him as he desperately looked around for a way to defend himself. "What do you want? I have no money... here... I mean, oh god, please don't kill me!" He babbled, seeming to snap the redhead put of her shock.

"What? Oh! No, no, _no..!"_ She gasped, standing from the couch and approaching him. "No, I'm here to _help_ you! Not _hurt_ you..!" She insisted, a bright smile on her face as she placed her hands on her knees and leaned over him. 

"You broke into my apartment to help me..?" Taylor scoffed, sarcasm all but dripping from his every word. "Yeah, okay, lets... lets just go ahead and pretend that's actually normal!"

"I didn't break in, silly!" The redhead laughed, holding out her hand to help him up. "You brought me in!" She giggled, smiling at him excitedly.

Taylor stared at her outstretched hand, frowning as he awkwardly pushed himself to his feet without her help. "Uh, _pretty_ sure I would've remembered meeting you... and asking you home..." He hedged, swallowing as he tried to slip away from her towards his bedroom. "Also, pretty sure I wouldn't have actually done that. I mean you're pretty and all, but I don't... uh, you're not, I mean, _I'm_ not..."

"Oh my gosh..." The redhead gasped, ignoring Taylors attempts to get away from her by grabbing his hands and pulling him closer with an unexpected burst of strength. "You're are just _too_ adorable! They didn't tell me you'd be this _cute..!"_ She said enthusiastically, twirling him around so she could look at him. "Oh! This is gonna be so much fun! With you looking this good already, my jobs already half done!"

"Whoa, hold on there lady!" Taylor yelped, skipping away and raising his palms as she playfully swatted him on the ass. "Lets just take a second before we get so handsy with my ass, here! Who the hell _are_ you, and how did you get in here?!"

"I told you, _silly!"_ She giggled, puffing out her cheeks in exaggerated outrage. "You brought me here! You put me on your tree!" She said proudly, pointing to the top of Taylors Christmas tree.

His eyes followed her finger, and he frowned as he beheld the empty space at the top of his tree. "Hey, look, I'm reasonable and all; but it is one thing to come into a guys apartment and mess with him, it is another entirely to mess with his Christmas decorations!" He complained, scowling at the girl petulantly.

"Gosh, they weren't kidding when they said you'd be a tough cookie!" The gurl sighed, her eyes wide as she took in his defensive display, before she smiled brightly and folded her arms behind her back. "You just calm your cute little tush, and let me handle _everything!"_

"Handle _what,_ exactly?!" Taylor spluttered, staring after the redhead in disbelief, as she breezed straight past him into his bedroom. "Hey! You can't go in there! That's pri- wait, who's _'they'?"_ He asked, frowning as he forgot his embarrassment at the strange girl entering his room.

"The Wish Council, of course!" The redhead called, as she delved info his closet, tossing things over her shoulder with a determined chorus of rejection.

"Wish council-" Taylor choked, ducking out the way of a particularly vibrant shirt which Diego had given him one year. "Okay, _seriously_ crazy lady, I think its time for you to leave, before I call the cops!" He threatened, trying and failing to maintain an intimidating expression.

"Oh..." She said, her head poking out from his closet. "You can call me Quinn." She said brightly, smiling before ducking back into his closet. "You know, you really don't have much in the way of fashion... It's gonna make it a lot harder to get people to notice you! Though of course, given how cute you are, it might not be _too_ hard..."

"Okay, what the _hell?!"_ Taylor finally roared, throwing his closet door wide to reveal the redhead; Quinn, standing amid his hung clothes, blinking at him curiously. "Seriously, what the hell is going on? Who the hell are you, why are you here and _why won't you leave?_!" He demanded, panting slightly from the exertion of his rising emotions.

"Okay, Mr. Cutey pants, I am sensing a _lot_ of hostility here! I am just trying to do my job, and you shouting is not helping me!" Quinn replied haughtily, her hand on her hip as she frowned at him. _"You,"_ she drawled, jabbing an accusatory finger into his chest and forcing him back a step, as she exited the closet. "Made a wish, and now _I_ have to grant it. So drop the attitude and start helping _me_ make _you_ happy!" She growled, backing Taylor to the opposite wall as she glared at him crossly.

"I don't..." Taylor began, swallowing thickly and wisely choosing to silence himself as Quinn narrowed her eyes at him. _"Ahem..."_ He tried again a moment later, sucking in a slow, deep breath as he tried to think how not to offend the strange woman. "Okay... I don't understand what the _hell_ is going on here, lady... I'm just, I'm kinda freaking out a little because I _definitely_ do not know you, or have _ever_ spoken to you before... so..."

"Oh, you're so _adorable..!"_ Quinn gasped, throwing her arms around Taylors shoulders and pulling him into a tight hug. "I just can't stay mad at you! What with those little cheeks of yours!" She gushed, pinching his cheek for good measure. "Okay! Let's start over..." She said, taking Taylors hand and rushing him back through to the living room. "Now... Hi! My name is Quinn, and I'll be your fairy for the duration of your wish fulfilment!" She said, beaming a beautiful smile at Taylor, before once more engulfing him in an enthusiastic hug.

"Uh... Fairy?" Taylor choked, fighting to free himself. "Don't fairies usually have, uh... wings?" He asked, trying not to laugh at the girl and her ridiculous lie. "Is this some sort of prank? Oh my _god..._ Diego hid you in here earlier, didn't he?!" He gasped, snapping his fingers as if he'd finally figured it out. "Oh, I am really gonna have to work at it to make him pay for this one..!" He huffed, laughing quietly at the thought.

"Uh, excuse _you..._ Don't you know its _rude_ to asks fairy about their wings?!" Quinn demanded, her hands falling to her hips as she seemed to both pout and scowl at him. "I just... haven't quite earned mine yet..! But I'm almost there, buddy!" She insisted, her cheeks staining pink in her apparent embarrassment.

 _"Ohhhh...."_ Taylor drawled, winking as if he'd just been clued in to the rules of a particularly difficult game. "I getcha... Okay, pretty lady. I'm sorry for uh, being rude, and all... I'm sure you'll get your wings _real_ soon." He said, snorting from the effort to keep his composure. "So, uh, what's the first on our... What'd you call it? _Wish fulfilment?"_ He began, raising a brow until Quinn smiled and nodding encouragingly. "Okay... What's first on our wish fulfilment agenda?" He asked, fighting to keep a straight face.

"Well, I'm thinking..." Quinn hummed thoughtfully, walking a circle around Taylor and eyeing him critically. "Yep, I'm thinking a makeover and then maybe some trial runs." She said, almost to herself. 

"Trial runs?" Taylor repeated, frowning as he twisted and turned, trying not to let the strange redhead out of his line of sight. "Why do those words alone fill me with dread?" He asked, shuddering in anticipation of the horror he expected to feel. 

"Basically, it's just a case of whipping up a partner for you to fool around with..." Quinn explained, her brow furrowing delicately as she worried a nail. "You know, practice your flirting, learn to let your guard down."

"Pfft, yeah, _no thanks."_ Taylor scoffed, rolling his eyes as he moved towards his front door. "Okay, crazy lady, this has been nice and all, but I am so ready for this whole... crazy midnight caper to be over now. Come on, it's time to go now." He said, throwing open his door and leaning against it as he gestured into the hall. "Come on, don't make me call the cops... You seem nice enough and all, crazy aside..." He added, as Quinn frowned at him.

"Wow... I really didn't expect someone so cute to have such a closed off heart!" She sighed, shaking her head sadly as she ignored his directions entirely and moved through his apartment towards his kitchen. 

"Urgh..." Taylor groaned, peeling himself away from the front door to follow after the redhead, scowling when he found the room to be empty. "Hey, where the hell-"

"You know, you have some _beautiful_ art in here... did you make all this?" Quinn asked, popping her chin over his shoulder and startling him.

 _"Aaahh!"_ Taylor yelped, spinning around to find her back in his living room. "How did you- no, you know what? _Never mind._ Come on now, lady, parties over. Time to go home now, come on. Get your tutu back on and get yourself off to magical fairyland!" He snarked, moving with his arms spread out, as to herd her from his apartment.

"I think your decorations need a little more _heart_ though, sweetie... This whole, perfectionist thing is _admirable_ but, it just doesn't really feel like you put any of _yourself_ into it, you know?" She said, frowning at his perfectly symmetrical streamers.

"Well, thankyou for your opinion and all, but I think I'll just go ahead and stick with it." Taylor replied, shooing the exhausting redhead towards his front door. "Tradition and all that, you know? Anyway, thanks _so_ much for stopping by, tell Diego I'll definitely get him back for all this!" He said quickly, ushering her out the door.

"Huh? But-" however, before the wide eyed redhead could say anything further, Taylor closed the door in her face. He drew in a deep breath and sighed heavily, exhausted from the crazy experience. He chuckled, shaking his head as he quietly considered the genius of Diego's prank, before heading back to the couch, fully intending to return to his bad TV and shirtless, handsome men.

"Okay..." He groaned, plugging his data stick into his TV and grabbing both the controller and his popcorn from the small coffee table. "Ben Evans, Casey Mitchum and Cole Deschanel, let's enjoy the beautiful eye candy you guys make..." He said, trailing off as he switched on the TV and stuffed some popcorn in his mouth, grinning as he selected an episode and the opening credits began to play. _"Best_ theme song _ever..."_ He murmured, shaking his head at the melodic tune.

"Just so you know, it's _rude_ to shut your assigned fairy out of your apartment. Makes it insanely difficult to actually _do my job_!" The irate voice behind him made him gasp and choke on his popcorn, shooting off of the couch in shock.

 _"Aaaaah!"_ Taylor cried, stumbling as he caught his foot on the coffee table, his world turning dark when his head collided hard with the wall opposite. 

When he woke the following morning he was sprawled across his couch, popcorn stuck to his cheek as insistent knocking sounded from his front door. _"Urgh..."_ He groaned, his hand rising to his head as he slowly forced himself to sit up. "Shut _up..!"_ He whined at his door, stumbling over to reveal his best friend and his husband, the pair both equally startled to see him so obviously out of sorts.

"Dude, I've been knocking for like, ten minutes..." Diego said, frowning at Taylor in vague concern. "What the hell? Were you jer-"

"While I'm sure you think you're about to say something hilarious, I'm gonna just go ahead and say _don't."_ Taylor complained tiredly, yawning as he rubbed at his brow. "I fell asleep after you left, and I am _so_ out of whack right now..." He sighed, turning back into his apartment and leaving the door open for his friends. "Also hi, Varyyn, good to see you." He muttered, as he disappeared into his kitchen to find some painkillers.

"Greetings Taylor," Varyyn replied, closing the door behind him as Diego hurried after Taylor to check on him. "I hope we did not cause you too much distress. I warned Diego about knocking so consistently..." The tribal leader continued, removing his large hat and trench coat to reveal his blue skin and bright golden eyes. 

Diego had met the man on the first of his travels, a vacation his publisher had forced him to take upon the threat of cancelling his contract with them. Upon losing his way to the resort, on the first day, Diego had stumbled upon the natives oh the island paradise and had instead come to love their more natural dwellings, choosing to spend his vacation learning their exotic language; and consequently falling in love. Varyyn had never revealed the cause of his blue skin, only ever commenting he had never known skin to be anything other than blue or green like his tribesmen, however Diego claimed that the mystery between them only added to their romantic tale, and therefore never cared to push the issue. When Varyyn decided to travel with his recently handfasted partner, they had settled upon the simplistic disguise, glad simply not to have strangers point and ask questions.

"Nah, 's fine. Just as well you woke me up, else I might've have slept all day..." Taylor called, swallowing his tablets with a mouthful of water straight from the tap. "Then I'd _really_ have suffered! At least this way I can recover during the day, and just have a power nap before work tonight..." He said, appearing around the kitchen door and examining his living room with a small shale of his head. "Man, I had the weirdest dream..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair with a tired smile.

"Clowns or midgets?" Diego asked, an ecstatic grin on his face as he sat Varyyn on Taylors sofa and draped himself over his , watching Taylor closely for wign of illness.

"You've been waiting _years_ to say that, haven't you?" Taylor smirked knowingly, as Diego sniggered distractedly and continued to eye his bedraggled appearance with mild concern. 

"You sure you're okay? We can skip brunch, if you want..." He asked, biting his lip uncertainly as Taylor scoffed and moved toward the couch, flopping down to sprawl himself on top of Diego and Varyyn.

"As if I would ever wanna skip brunch with you guys." He snorted, shaking his head as Diego and Varyyn both laughed at his added weight upon them. "I barely get to see you guys... I'm not about to waste an opportunity to hang out." He hummed, closing his eyes briefly as Varyyn patted his thigh and Diego brushed some leftover popcorn from his cheek.

"Okay, well, if we are still going; then you need to get ready." He said with obvious amusement, as Taylor merely grunted and wiggled himself into a more comfortable position on his friends laps. "That means _showering."_ He said firmly, laughing as he pushed Taylor off his lap to the floor. "C'mon, dude or else your favourite is gonna be closed."

"Mm, okay..." Taylor agreed easily, picking himself up and sauntering towards his bathroom. "No making out on my couch! It's barely recovered from last time!" He called back to them, rolling his eyes at the decidedly non-innocent giggling which he heard from Diego.

An hour later, Taylor and his friends had made their way to his favourite café, a small place called Jane's which served the simpler food he preferred; but was still to lazy to attempt to cook himself. An hour and forty five minutes after walking in, their meals were finished and their conversation had turned to where Diego and Varyyn may travel to next. "I mean, we could just head back... It'd be nice to catch up with your mother and see how Seraxa is getting along with Taari." Diego mused, gazing at his husband thoughtfully.

Varyyn cupped his hand to Diego's cheek, smiling serenely beneath his broad hat. "We may go wherever you please. I will be happy, so long as I go with you." He said simply, as Diego blushed and Taylor feigned gagging noises from the opposite side of the table.

"Isn't he sweet?" Diego enthused, turning to Taylor with his cheeks all but glowing pink, his eyes bright with amusement and adoration.

"Sickeningly so." Taylor quipped dryly, smirking when Diego's blissful expression fell into a scowl. He snorted and rose to his feet, shaking his head as he dug in his pocket for his wallet. "Don't look at me like that, assbutt." He huffed, tossing a twenty onto the table, as Diego pouted and turned to his husband; pointedly ignoring Taylor. "Just 'cause I'm happy for you, doesn't mean I wanna deal with all your gooey, sappy, bullsh- _wah!"_  

Taylor was knocked off balance when another body collided with his back, only for strong hands to quickly clamp onto his arms and steady him. _"Whoa,_ I gotcha." A rough voice muttered lowly, and Taylor turned to see a guy with sandy blonde hair to his shoulders, his eyes a clear cerulean blue. "Sorry, its a real chore sometimes..." He drawled, as Taylor blinked and shook his head.

"Uh, sorry?" He asked, clearing his throat as he tried to focus his thoughts and stop staring at the stranger, cute though he may be. "Chore?" He repeated, frowning as he gently pulled his arms free of the stranger, his hands tangling tightly behind his back.

"Bein' this good lookin', ya know... Practically bowlin' people over like this." The guy said, flashing Taylor a cocky grin. "Ya can lean on me, if ya need time to recover ya balance..." He said, as Taylors brows rose in surprise. "Just so long as ya let me buy ya a drink." He added, throwing Taylor an even cockier wink.

Taylor scoffed, shaking his head and blushing as the other mans eyes flicked over him, taking his time as he hummed and seemed to absorb every detail with a sharp gaze. "Wow, you're _so_ subtle." He said, biting his lip as the guy tilted his head slightly, his gaze resting somewhere below Taylors belt. "And so modest too... Its a wonder you can keep your feet on the ground, what with that huge, inflated ego of yours." He snickered, the other guy seeming unfazed by the minor jab at his character, as he continued to grin at Taylor.

"Its a blessin' and a curse, Boy Scout." He replied, offering Taylor another wink as he laughed in surprise.

"Boy Scout, huh?" He snorted, shaking his head in amusement. "Well, there's something I haven't heard before."

"What can I say, I nickname cute guys who don't tell me their names." The guy said, his grin turning wolfish as he inclined slightly closer to Taylor. 

"Must be a lotta nicknames floating around then, huh?" Taylor snickered, pleased when the guy seemed amused rather than offended by his comment.

"Eh, only one that's important right now." The guy said, his clear eyes glittering with pride when Taylor began to laugh.

"Oh, smooth, _very_ smooth." He huffed amid his tapering giggles, trying and failing to get a hold of himself, vaguely wondering what had come over him to be openly flirting with a stranger. "Unfortunately for _you,_ Aragorn, I'm here with my friends..." He said, glancing over his shoulder to see Diego and Varyyn feeding each other their last bites. "So, you're all outta luck."

"Aragorn, huh? Well, can't complain. The man was a total badass..." The guy said, waving his brows suggestively as he glanced at Diego and Varyyn. "Well, if ya ever wanna grab that drink, ya just let me know." He said, grabbing a napkin from his own table and scribbling on it quickly with a pen from his pocket.

"Hmm, sure thing." Taylor snorted, rolling his eyes as the guy offered him the napkin. He hesitated, a small frown creasing his brow as he bit his lip, glancing up to find the guy watching him with a raised brow.

"It ain't gonna bite ya." He said, a slow smirk curling his lips. "I mean, _I_ might, if that's what ya into and all that... but _this_ little things pretty safe." He said, shrugging a shoulder as Taylor laughed and finally accepted the napkin.

"You're pretty persistent, huh?" He huffed, grinning as he met the other mans clear eyes, his cheeks beginning to burn with an unfamiliar warmth.

"Only when I see somethin' I like, Boy Scout." He replied, winking again as he stepped back, saluting him roughly.

"Hey, Taylor? Can you grab me a-" Taylor turned back to Diego as he called to him, starting slightly as he was jolted from his private conversation. "Ooh, yes exactly! Thanks!" Diego said cheerfully, grabbing the napkin from Taylors hand and using it to wipe sauce from both himself and his husband.

"Hey! That-" Taylor yelped, before sighing in resignation, turning back to the stranger with an apologetic grin. "Sorry, my friend is a little-" he trailed off however, looking around in vague confusion when he found there was no sign of the stranger. "Huh?" He wondered aloud, stepping away from the table and leaning to try and spot the man he'd been speaking with.

"Taylor... what are you doing?" Diego asked, rising himself as he settled the bill, indiscreetly tucking Taylors twenty back into his pocket while he was obviously distracted. "What is it?"

"That guy gave me his number and you covered it in your _guck,_ so I was gonna ask for it again, but..." Taylor said distractedly, frowning around the restaurant once more, before turning back to his friends with a dismissive shrug. "Oh well, probably for the best anyway, right?" He said breezily, forcing a convincing smile to his face to mask his disappointment.

"What guy?" Diego asked, frowning at Taylor curiously. "Sorry, if I'd known I wouldn't have-" he began, only for Taylor to wave him off.

"Seriously, its fine. Lets face it, my track record isn't that great when it comes to guys, anyway." He laughed, though the sound was strained even to his own ears.

"Well... was he cute at least?" Diego asked, as Taylor rolled his eyes and followed him and Varyyn from the café. 

"I can confirm he _was_ cute." Taylor admitted, smiling over at his friend fondly. "And cocky, and everything that would have just ended up being a nightmare to get over, when it all went wrong."

"God, Taylor... I thought I was supposed to be the pessimistic one." Diego snorted, rolling his eyes as Varyyn flagged down a taxi for them. Diego captured Taylors hand, stepping into his path and forcing him to a stop. "Dude... why don't you come with us? A little sightseeing, a little fun and adventure! Maybe you could finally give love a chance again..." 

"Nah, that's _your_ dream guys." Taylor huffed, his throat thick as he watched Varyyn load their two small bags into the back of a cab, before walking back to them. "Besides, we all know I'm a terrible decision maker. Best to stick to what I'm best at and keep outta trouble."

"We must go, Diego." Varyyn said gently, as Diego sighed and bit his lip, his eyes welling with tears as he dragged Taylor into a fierce hug.

"Dude... Not _everything_ in the world is gonna try and screw you over." Diego whispered I his ear, as Taylor closed his eyes and returned the tight embrace. "Just try and let yourself be happy. And call me soon. And miss me. And-"

"Shut up, Diego." Taylor laughed, drawing back to wipe at his eyes. "Get in the damn cab, and have fun. Send me postcards!" He ordered, nudging his friend into Varyyn's arms, and watching as the taller man guided his husband into the backseat. He smiled and waved as Varyyn closed the door, refusing to let his expression falter, until the cab was down the street and turning the corner. Only then did he allow his smile to fade, and his tears to fall. "Bye, guys..."

Taylor spent the remainder of his day preparing for work, even catching a nap in the evening before he was due to start. He cast a final frown around his living room, before heading out that night to the shopping centre down the street, storing his bag in his locker before trotting down to the security room to begin his night shift. "Hey, Raj." He called upon entering, smiling as the large man rose to offer him an elaborate high five. "Anything I oughta know about, before you hustle off to bake stuff?" He asked, snickering at Raj's torn expression, lingering somewhere between pride and outrage.

"It's not just _baking,_ Taylor." He said, finally settling on an amused grin. "I'm practicing my recipe's for the Christmas cook off! Bauble jalapeño and cheese bites, plus some Nutcracker shaped vegetarian, three bean bakes for appetisers. And finally, a turkey and cranberry curry, with festive poppadum's and tree shaped naan breads; all followed by a spiced plum sorbet." He said, ticking off his fingers as he nodded along appreciatively.

"Wow." Taylor said, his eyes wide as he slapped his palm to Raj's again. "Man, if you don't save me some of everything and bring it in for me to sample; I am gonna have to _seriously_ re-evaluate the status of our friendship..."

"Heh, no worries little dude." Raj said, blushing with pride at Taylors obvious faith in his creations. "I got a couple tubs set aside all ready for your 'samples'." He said, beam in at Taylor as he hurried over to the door. "Hey, can you keep an eye on the screens 'til Craig shows up? He won't be long dude, but I'm so ready to get in the kitchen already!" 

Taylor huffed an exaggerated sigh and rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest. "Yeah, yeah." He said, smiling at his friend warmly. "Go on already..."

"Oh, dude! You're the _best,_ Taylor!" Raj cheered joyfully, already halfway through the door. "Have a good night, man! I know I will!"

Taylor laughed at his colleagues eagerness, shaking his head fondly as the large man disappeared and headed off to begin work on his masterpieces. He turned to the huge array of monitors, sighing as he fell into the recently vacated chair. _Guess Craig and Mike are both running late tonight. I can give it five minutes, but if Craig shows up first then I better just start the rounds without Mike_. He thought, settling himself down and carefully examining the monitors, making sure nothing was amiss before the other guard arrived to take watch over the security feed.

Fifteen minutes later, Craig finally strolled in with his usual confident swagger, clearly pleased with himself. "What's got you looking like you've already licked the icing off the cupcakes?" He asked, raising a brow curiously.

"That was _one_ time, brah, but still totally worth it." Craig snorted, bumping his fist to Taylors as he got to his feet and let the other security guard settle himself before the monitors. "But I just finished my Christmas window shopping, if you must know. I'm gonna buy everything just as soon as I get my bonus." He added, grinning as Taylor blinked at him in surprise.

"You've planned everyone's present already?" He asked, eyeing Craig skeptically. _"You?"_ He repeated, a small smile attempting to break free on his lips. "Are you _sure_ you haven't forgotten anyone this year..?"

"Hey, shut up!" Craig muttered, grimacing as he recalled his previous years of frantic last minute searching. "I got this year planned, and totally kick Christmas's ass this year!"

"Uh huh..." Taylor hummed, narrowing his eyes as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe with a sly grin. "So what're you getting for Zahra?" He asked, his amusement growing as he watched Craig's face fall.

"Oh, man..." Craig sighed, his bravado failing him as he flopped forward on the desk. "Z would _totally_ kill me if she knew I forgot about her present..." He moaned, shaking his head despondently. "Now I gotta find something for her before we get paid."

"Don't worry about it Craig, you'll think of something." Taylor laughed, pushing away from the wall as he shook his head fondly. "Hey, if Mike turns up in a bit tell him I already started the rounds." He said, turning away but glancing back when Craig called over to him.

"Yo, bro, Mike's off for the rest of the week." He said, reminding Taylor of his friends holiday. "They were supposed to organize cover for him, but at the mo? It's just you, man." He said, spreading his palms apologetically.

"Oh god... Late night shopping over Christmas and no backup?" Taylor clarified, groaning as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Someone out there must _really_ hate me." He sighed, shaking his head as he continued out the door and headed off to begin his rounds.

Taylor strolled casually through the clothing department, checking in with some of the staff to make sure both that they felt secure, and keeping an eye out for anyone acting suspiciously. He greeted a bunch of kids loitering pointedly outside the sweet shop, and was unsurprised when they scattered a short moment later. As Taylor turned into the tech department, he frowned at a broken display, radioing up to Craig and gesturing to the nearest camera so his friend could see him. He pointed out the display, and moments later Craig had sent a team down to fix the display, allowing him to continue on his way.

Taylor bit his lip, his stomach growling as he moved into the food court. He frowned as he paused to lean against a railing, surveying the area thoughtfully as he was overcome by the distinct sense of someone watching him. _Probably just Craig on the cameras._ He though, as he shook his head at his own foolishness. He had just pushed away from the railing, when a body jostled him from the side, and he wobbled briefly, before a strong hand latched onto his arm.

 _"Whoa,_ I gotcha." A familiar voice murmured smoothly, and Taylor turned in surprise to find himself facing the same guy who's knocked into him earlier in the day. "Well, well, well... Ain't this a turn up for the books? Ain't every day I get to sweep a guy off their feet twice." He snickered, grinning smugly as his hand lingered on Taylors arm.

"Uh, I think you mean 'bump into' there, Aragorn." Taylor huffed, though his lips twitched with amusement, as he gently detached his arm from the other mans hold. "Lucky for you, it takes more than that to knock me down."

"Heh, I'll bump into ya as much as ya like, long as ya let me buy ya that drink." The guy said, winking suggestively and causing a slight blush to dust Taylors cheeks, as he stepped back and flicked his eyes over him. "So, ya really are a regular Boy Scout, huh?" 

"Security guard, but close enough I guess." Taylor snorted, rolling his eyes as he shook his head in amusement. He glanced around the food court again and saw nothing out of place, deciding with a small, surprising bout of regret, that he should move on. "I'm sorry, I've gotta get going. Uh... nice seeing you again." He added before he could stop himself, his skin burning with embarrassment as the guy raised a brow and smirked at him.

"Damn straight it is. Only thing better than seein' me, is seein' me _naked."_ He said, winking cockily as Taylor flushed crimson. He lowered his eyes from the strangers, clearing his throat as he desperately tried to gulp some air into his suddenly too small lungs. "Want some company while ya walk, Boy Scout?" The guy continued, and Taylor could only blame the lack of oxygen in his brain for preventing him responding appropriately.

"I... uh, guess..." He stammered, his brow creasing momentarily, until he awkwardly turned away and began to stiffly walk out of the food court.

"Hmm..." The guy hummed thoughtfully, walking a step behind Taylor for a moment, before pulling up beside him and glancing over with a small grin. "So, what's a guy gotta do to actually learn ya name?" He asked, his grin widening as Taylor glanced at him.

"My name?" He repeated uncertainly, frowning briefly as he led the way to the toy department. "What's, I mean, um... Why would you want to know that?" He asked, ignoring the way his heart seemed to be beating too loudly in his ears, telling himself it was fear making his pulse quicken.

"Gotta know what to be callin' out later..." The guy said leadingly, smirking smugly when Taylor choked and spluttered. "If I lose ya or somethin', I mean. This place is pretty huge after all." He said innocently, looking over at Taylor with a raised brow. "Why, did ya have somethin' _else_ in mind there, Boy Scout?"

 _"No!_ No, definitely... _no."_ Taylor coughed, firmly telling himself to get a grip; before stubbornly ignoring himself when he considered just what he'd like to get a hold of. " "I, uh... Just don't see why you need my name. I mean, you've already taken to calling me by a nickname anyway." He added hurriedly, his voice slightly higher than it had been previously, as the other man stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and smirked at him knowingly. "Wouldn't want to uh, waste all your efforts there. Or, _whatever..."_

"Uh huh... but what about if we get to foolin' around?" The stranger asked, as Taylor tripped over his own foot and stumbled to a stop beside a store wall, turning to find an entirely too innocent smile on the other mans face, as he scrubbed his chin in blatantly feigned thoughtfulness. "Like, prankin' whoever takes over after ya shift ends... or, swappin' some of the store mannequins around, posin' 'em in rude positions before the place reopens tomorrow..."

Taylor frowned, returned to his living room briefly, and the insanely vivid dream with the crazy, breaking and entering redhead who had been determined that she was a fairy. _Just a case of whipping up a partner, someone you can fool around with... You know, practice your flirting, learn to let your guard down_. He recalled, some of the tension in his shoulders leaving as he shook his head and snorted in disbelief _. I can't believe it... I almost thought that whole thing was real for a second_... He thought, looking around briefly as he started walking again.

"Still with me, Boy Scout?" The other guy asked, raising a brow and eyeing him with a mixture of caution and concern which almost made Taylor laugh. 

"Yeah, sorry, just... remembering a crazy dream." He said, clearing his throat as he led the way through a giant arch made of toy train tracks, the small vehicles whizzing around their designated paths with endless energy.

"Oh yeah, was I in it?" The guy asked, and Taylor couldn't help but laugh at the smug confidence in his voice. He turned with a small curious smile, his brow creasing slightly in obvious confusion.

"You have _no_ fear, do you? Or _shame,_ by the sound of it." He said, shaking his head as he tried to understand just why the guy was so persistent about talking to him. "What is it... you _see?"_ He asked suddenly, pulling to a halt as his amusement faded slightly, his expression turning suspicious and uncertain.

"Right now? A buncha toys which are _way_ better than what I got as a kid..." The other guy mused, before turning to Taylor with a cocky grin. 

 _"No..."_ Taylor said, unconsciously raising his arms to wrap around his chest, not even noticing when the other man eyed the movement and lost the cocky swagger behind his grin. "You've met me all of twice. What do you see that makes you keep... _talking_ to me? I mean, not that I want you to _stop_ but, I just, I mean... oh _god..."_ Taylor bit his tongue, turning away as his frustration bled into embarrassment, shaking his head as he hurried away to check in with the nearest stores.

"Ya know," the other guy said, startling a yelp from Taylor as he exited one of the stores, wheeling around to find the stranger leaning against the wall, clearly waiting for him. "Ya look even cuter, when ya flustered. The red matches ya hair. Suits ya. Makes me wonder how far it goes though..." He said thoughtfully, a slight curl to his lips as he purposely, slowly trailed his eyes over Taylors uniform. "To answer ya proper though," he said, pushing away from the wall, as Taylor backed away a step, blinking in surprise of the other mans pursuit. _"Maybe,_ I just see something I like... and don't feel like lettin' anyone else snap up such a catch." He drawled, sidling up close to Taylor, as he backed into a advertisement board outside one of the stores. "Or, _maybe..._ I just think ya cute and wanna get to know ya, without any hidden agenda. Who knows, Boy Scout? That's the mystery of life, ain't it?"

"Uh..." Taylor paused, swallowing heavily as he finally looked away from the other man, his cheeks burning and his heart racing beneath the strangers teasing. "I guess..." He said awkwardly, shifting away from the advertisement board, and gaining an inch of breathing room to try and clear his rapidly clouding thoughts. "I just... I'm not used to... _ahem,_ people?" He offered weakly, frowning in confusion of his own feelings, wondering why he was even attempting to explain anything to the man he didn't even know.

"No shit." The other guy scoffed, his hands in his pockets as he flashed Taylor a cocky grin. "How 'bout this then, Boy Scout? Lets start over." He said, freeing one hand and offering it to Taylor. "Names Jake McKenzie, used to be a pilot in the Navy, til I was dishonourably discharged for punchin' my commandin' officer."

Taylor stared at the offered hand as if the other man were holding a bomb, his eyes wide as they slowly rose to his face again. "I..." He paused, shaking his head as he noticed his hunched posture, forcing his arms to his side and curving his lips into a facsimile of a smile. _"Wow._ Did that intro really sound so good in your head?" He asked, a strained chuckle escaping him as he ran a hand through his hair distractedly. "I mean, I'm sure the guy deserved it and all, but I'm fairly sure anyone else would've already run a mile after an introduction like that." He huffed, biting his lip as he glanced back at the offered hand uncertainly.

"Yeah. He _did."_ The other man replied, nodding slowly as Taylors eyes snapped up to meet the strangers. "As for everythin' else..." He drawled, his clear eyes running down Taylors body thoughtfully, before returning to his gaze to his eyes moments later. "I reckon ya ain't like other people, and I reckon ya appreciate honesty."

Taylor stared for seconds uncountable, locked into the terrifyingly intimate gaze the other man held him in. _Jake._ He thought suddenly, recalling the mans introduction again, scared by his accurate read on him; yet also undeniably thrilled, that someone finally saw through to the real him, beneath the walls he wore. _His name is Jake_... He slowly stretched his hand forward, and as his skin made contact with the other mans, his breath caught in his throat. "... Taylor." He said quietly, his cheeks burning as Jake's eyes lit with smug satisfaction.

"Well, well, Boy Scout..." Jake drawled, his lips slowly curving into a grin almost as smug as his gaze. "Looks like ya finally warmin' up to me." He said, chuckling as Taylor scoffed and rolled his eyes, withdrawing his hand again as the spell between them finally broke.

"Uh huh, sure thing there, Top Gun." He snorted, turning away to check in with another store. He glanced over at Jake as the man fell into step beside him, his brow cocked curiously. "What? You said you used to be a pilot... seems more fitting than Aragorn now, I mean... badass he may be, but fly he did _not."_ Taylor huffed, unable to fight off the small amused grin on his lips.

"... I'll take it." Jake said, a hint of pride in his eyes as he cast a sideways glance over Taylor. "So, when do ya get a break?" He asked, chuckling as Taylor took a turn to raise a brow in curiosity. "Ya gotta eat, right? Figured I could buy ya somethin', seein' as ya obviously can't drink on the job."

"Wow, do you always work this fast?" Taylor laughed, shaking his head as he ducked into a smaller store which specialised in creating personalized soft toys. "Are you planning to just follow me around all night?" He asked curiously, spinning to walk backwards, a small grin on his face as he watched Jake shrug his shoulders and contently walk along behind him. "Don't you have a home to go to?"

"Whoa, whoa, what's this?" Jake asked, his lips curving into a smug grin. _"Interest?!"_ He demanded, his clear eyes practically glittering with amusement. "Gettin' almost into personal info there, Boy Scout..." He tutted playfully, stuffing his hands deeper into his jacket pockets.

 _"Riiiiight,"_ Taylor snorted, rolling his eyes as he turned away and cast a discreet nod to the staff, before looping back around to the entrance. "You're insanely frustrating. Normally, anyone who tried hanging around near me; I would've be telling them to buzz off long ago, yet all your..." Taylor gestured towards the ex pilot, waving his hand in vague frustration, as Jake's grin grew. 

"Ya can't help wantin' me to stick around?" Jake guessed smugly, flashing Taylor a wink which he knew should have irritated him, but only made him snort in amusement instead.

"Oh my god... You must have, the _biggest_ ego, ever known to man." Taylor snickered, though je quickly trailed off, his cheeks darkening in anticipation as Jake's grin turned all but predatory.

"Heh, ain't the only big thing that I got." He drawled, waving his brows suggestively and leaving Taylor in no doubt as to his meaning. "Ya welcome to compare sometime, make sure I ain't just braggin'."

"No." Taylor said quickly, averting his eyes as his cheeks burnt and his heart crashed against his chest, firmly telling himself it was fear which caused such a reaction, and not a rush of desire. "I, uh..."

"Look, Boy Scout," Jake said suddenly, catching his elbow and turning Taylor towards him, his cocky grin replaced by a conflicted frown. "I can't say that I ain't gonna hit on ya, 'cause... well, 'cause ya damn cute, to be entirely honest." He admitted, shrugging as his cheeks dusted with a hint of colour beneath his stubble. "But ya ain't gotta get so uptight about it. If ya ain't interested, that's fine... But I'm still gonna follow ya 'round and talk to ya, 'cause honestly, ya right; I ain't got anythin' better to do, and I ain't got a home I need to get to." He said, releasing Taylors elbow as he stuffed his hands back into his jacket pockets. "Think ya can handle that?" 

Taylor flushed a deep and rosy shade of red, rolling his eyes as he cleared his throat, trying to slow the desperate crashing of his heart, telling himself he was an idiot to find himself actually excited and hopeful about the other mans words. "Uh, I..." He muttered, turning away and taking a deep breath as he steeled his nerves. "I can handle _anything."_ He said with more confidence than he felt, immediately launching himself forward and away from the other man to hide his reddening face, continuing on his rounds.

"Heh... I _bet_ ya can..." He heard Jake mutter smugly behind him, before quickly catching up again. He glanced across at the former pilot, noticing the cocky grin on his face, and surprised to find himself breaking into a similar grin.

For the next several hours, Jake seemed content to trail around the departments of the shopping centre with Taylor, trying and failing to get him to reveal information about himself; while still managing to amuse him as they walked and talked. Taylor knew he should have sent the other man on his way long ago, but he also knew just how long and boring his shift would be without Mike to accompany him and talk with. "You realise that this place is closing in like, twenty minutes?" He finally asked, checking his watch as he headed down to the main entrance to lock the doors.

"Think ya gonna get rid of me that easy, Boy Scout?" Jake replied, a smirk curling his lips as he strolled along beside Taylor, easily keeping pace with him.

"Pfft, not sure how you think you're gonna avoid-" Taylor began, only for Jake to snicker and begin talking over him quickly.

"Tell ya what, Boy Scout..." He said, cutting Taylor off as he glanced at him coyly. "I'll leave with everyone else when ya lock those doors... But if I can get back in here in fifteen minutes, I not only get to stay and keep ya company, I get to buy ya dinner sometime." 

"Wow, you do _not_ give up, do you?" Taylor laughs, shaking his head as his stomach did a strange somersault, unused to such intense attention. "Okay, look... I'll accept that bet, if, you tell me why it is you're so determined to waste so much time on a total stranger."

"Still a stranger, huh?" Jake sighed, feigning a forlorn sigh as he shook his head, though his grin gave away his amusement. "Why're ya such a suspicious sod?" He asked, narrowing his eyes as he ran them over Taylor curiously.

"I'm _not!"_ Taylor protested weakly, shifting guiltily as he led Jake to the main entrance, nodding politely to a few more familiar customers. "I just... don't know why you're so interested..." He admitted, glancing at Jake with a brief flicker of a frown, before turning back to the exiting public.

"Is it really so hard for ya to believe ya an interesting person?" Jake asked, cocking his head thoughtfully, his clear eyes seeming to see right through Taylor.

 _Yes._ Taylor thought, the word screaming itself through his mind as he pointedly avoided looking back at the former pilot. "... No." He lied, clearing his throat as he began to close the doors, leaving only a single door still open for the last few people to exit.

"Ya a bad liar." Jake said, his brow furrowed as he stepped closer to Taylor, forcing him to look at him as he was the last remaining civilian. "Ya know, whatever happened... it ain't gonna kill ya, to let someone in again." He said quietly, his hand half raising as if to reach for Taylors, only for the former pilot to seemingly change his mind, clearing his throat and running his hand through his hair instead.

"I..." Taylor balked, his mind turning blank beneath the other mans intense gaze. He swallowed thickly, blinking rapidly as he tried to fight his way free of his stunned stupor. "...how-?" 

"Takes one to know one, Boy Scout." Jake said quietly, his eyes remaining locked onto Taylors as his meaning sunk in. Taylor drew in a sharp breathe suddenly, and Jake seemed to realise that Taylor had understood his unsubtle meaning. "So... Fifteen minutes; if I do it, ya let me buy ya dinner, 'kay?" He said, stepping around Taylor to exit the shopping centre, turning back with a smirk.

"I..." Taylor shook his head, sucking in a deep breath as he turned with a frown, blinking away the last of his shock and confusion. "... okay." He said shyly, as Jake threw him a cocky wink. He rolled his eyes and shook himself, regaining his wits as he closed the doors and made a show of locking them. He raised a brow at Jake through the glass, biting his lip against the sense of loss he felt, telling himself it was solely because he knew how boring the rest of his night would be.

With a small half wave, he backed away from the doors, finally turning his back on the former pilot as he made his way back through the building to check nobody had been locked in. _Guys crazy... He doesn't even know me! But then, sometimes, it seems like he knows me too well_... He thought, working his way through the various shops and grimacing when he realised he was checking his watch almost every minute. _What am I **doing?!** Am I actually hoping he's gonna win this bet?_ He wondered, pausing in the food court as his eyes widened slightly, a bubble of excitement in his gut as he felt goosebumps raise on his arms. _No... No, no, no. This is... This is bad. I know he's cute, but, Taylor come on! You have terrible taste! If you do let this guy in, he'll probably turn out to be a mass murderer or something!_ He thought, running a hand through his hair and tugging sharply in frustration. He growled, when he checked his watch again.

"Six minutes..." He muttered, sighing as he tried to calm his rapidly warming body, smothering his rising excitement with his frustration. "Just nine more to go, and then I can stop being such an _idiot."_ He huffed, rolling his eyes as he moved on again, walking towards the clothing department.

 _Why's he so determined to jump through all these hoops though? I mean, one minute he's hitting on me harder than rain in a storm; next thing he's reassuring me it's okay to turn him down?_ He thought, shaking his head in confusion as he checked through the formal wear section and strolled into casual. _And I can't deny that he's good looking too, so that's not exactly helping me to stay objective around hi_ \- his thought cut off abruptly, his hand dropping to his baton, as he heard a clatter from behind him. He whirled, his eyes narrowed as he slowly walked back the way he'd come.

"Hello? I'm afraid the stores closed..." He called, frowning as he rounded the corner to find nothing out of place. "Hello?" He called again, hesitating as he cocked his head and listened carefully, turning back towards formal wear when he heard a faint scuffling sound. "I'm afraid I'll have to show you to the exit now. If you don't co-operate, I'll be forced to-"

"Go to dinner with me." The sudden voice behind him made Taylor yelp and spin quickly, his eyes widening as he spied Jake behind him, leaning against a pair of mannequins he'd obviously repositioned. "What, not happy to see me, Boy Scout?" He asked, snickering as he watched Taylor rub his chest, his mouth opening and closing but unable to yet form words. "Aw, did ya miss me?"

Taylor blinked, his cheeks burning in embarrassment as he stared at Jake in disbelief. "But, I..." He began, shaking his head to try and clear away the lingering shock and fuzziness of his thoughts, while also trying to deny the surge of elation he felt at seeing the other man again. He glanced at his watch, and frowned at the screen. "... fourteen minutes..." He murmured, biting his lip to hold back a half hysterical giggle, unable to even decide if it was caused by nerves or excitement.

"I got this real _hankerin'_ at the moment, so I was thinkin' Chinese... that good for ya, Boy Scout?" Jake said smugly, winking at Taylor as he stepped away from the display he'd rearranged. 

Taylor coughed and shook his head, drawing in a deep breath as he forced himself out of his stupor. "... Put those mannequins back how you found them," he ordered, his lips twitching despite his best efforts as his walls began to tremble, the former pilot watching him with a smug and knowing grin. "Else I'll lock you back out again, and I won't let you buy me any of that Chinese you just promised me..." He added, finally losing the battle to contain his shy smile.

Jake sniggered and offered him a two fingered salute, waving his brows suggestively. "Yes, _sir."_ He drawled, before turning away to return the mannequins he'd altered into a rude position. As he watched Jake straighten the mannequins put, Taylor wrapped his arms around his torso, biting his lip as he felt his heart give a shudder, as if awakening from an overly long hibernation.

Despite knowing he shouldn't, Taylor allowed Jake to stay the remainder of the night, the former pilot easily filling any silence with talk about himself and his courageous exploits while in the Navy. Taylor listened with amusement as they drifted between stores, and deftly avoided any questions about his own life, by cunningly redirecting the other mans attention back to himself. By the time he reopened the shopping centre and was ready to finish his shift, his cheeks were aching from having smiled and laughed so much. "How are you not exhausted? I don't think I've even seen you yawn all night..." Taylor said, shaking his head as he headed back to the security room.

"Eh, ya get used to bein' woken at all sorts of weird hours in the Navy." Jake replied with a dismissive shrug, a small grin curving his lips. "So, are ya ready to eat? Or would ya rather wait 'til tonight, I mean, I can meet ya here with take out? It ain't exactly classy or anythin' but-" 

Taylor frowned, shaking his head as he blinked away his sudden confusion from the rapid change in conversation. "What?" He blurted, coming to a halt outside the security room.

"Dinner." Jake said, raising a brow as he flashed Taylor a lopsided grin. "I won the bet after all, remember? Ya ain't gettin' outta it that easy." He added, rolling his eyes when Taylor flushed guiltily.

"I thought you were just playing around..." He admitted awkwardly, biting his lip as he lowered his eyes, hiding his troubled gaze. "Look, it's not that I don't appreciate your company tonight; although I don't know _why_ I let you... I mean, I could get _fired_ for letting you stay..." He said, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair and reluctantly raised his conflicted gaze to Jake's confident one. "I just... Why're you _doing_ all this? What's the point; what do you _want?"_ He demanded, almost pleading in his wide eyed desperation.

Jake eyed him thoughtfully for a long pause, before finally clicking his tongue. "I dunno what happened to make ya so distrustful, but all ya need to know right now is that I don't believe in wastin' time." The former pilot explained slowly, as if carefully choosing each word. "I see somethin' I like, I go for it with the full shebang... And before ya even think it; I can promise ya now, I _ain't_ gonna be gettin' bored." He said, smirking knowingly as Taylor blushed. "Suffice to say, for now I'm content to just be ya friend... if ya'll _let_ me." He finally sighed, shaking his head briefly as he spread his palms questioningly.

Taylor fidgeted with the cuff of his sleeve, averting his eyes for a moment as he did his best to quell the rush of hope which tried to overwhelm him, trampling it down until he was alone and able to assess his feelings more clearly. "I, um... I guess in that case..." He mumbled, determinedly keeping his eyes on his shoes. "You could maybe, meet me here... around six?" He offered uncertainly, biting his lip as his entire face burnt with embarrassment.

Jake flashed him a dazzling grin, which left Taylor breathless, his heart racing so erratically that he thought it might have just partaken in a marathon of its own. "Sounds good, Boy Scout." He said, his shoulders noticeably relaxing with obvious relief. "Any allergy's I oughta know about?" He asked, raising a brow as Taylor flushed guiltily.

"Um..." Taylor hummed awkwardly, wincing as he shifted his weight. "Well, there is just _one,_ yeah... It's, uh, garlic..." He admitted shyly, blinking in surprise when Jake began to laugh loudly. 

"Well shit, Boy Scout, ya don't do things by halves, do ya?" Jake gasped, catching his breath as Taylor grimaced and lowered his eyes to the floor again.

"Sorry, I know it's a pain... You don't have to worry about the Chinese, you kno-" Taylor rambled apologetically, trailing off as Jake cautiously caught his chin and dipped his head until their eyes finally met again.

"It ain't a problem, ya know? A person can't help what affect's their body..." He said slowly, a small frown on his face as he examined Taylors guilty expression, which was rapidly giving way to a deep red flush. _"Ahem,"_ the former pilot coughed, removing his fingers from Taylors chin as his own stubbled cheeks dusted with pink, averting his eyes until he'd regained his cocky bravado. "It'll just be a bit of a challenge, but don't worry... I prefer it that way, make's everythin' more worth the effort." He said confidently, as Taylor bit his lip, unable to deny the flutter of hope and shy gratitude in his gut at the other mans assurance. "I'll catch ya tonight then? Right _here..._ Six o'clock, right Boy Scout?" Jake said, clearing his throat as he began to slowly back away.

Taylor held his breath for a heartbeat, as a shy but radiant smile crept across his face. "... Yeah." He confirmed quietly, dipping his head in a small nod of agreement. "See you..." He said, half raising a hand to wave.

Jake grinned broadly, clearly delighted with his victory. "Don't stand me up..." He warned playfully, winking at Taylor and drawing a reluctant laugh from him. "I know where ya work." He added, offering another of his rough salutes, before turning on his heel and strolling away, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets as he began to whistle.

Taylor snorted in amusement, shaking his head as he stood and watched the other man walk away with a sense of bewilderment. _Such a weirdly intense guy_... He thought, unable to deny that he was fond of the attention and camaraderie they seemed to have built together over the night. _It's kinda hard not to believe him._ He shook his head, turning away to grab his bag and sign out of his shift. _But... he can't seriously be for real, can he?_ He wondered, his skepticism rising as he finally found himself away from the other mans encompassing warmth, his mind once more clouding with familiar doubts.

Taylor frowned as he slowly made his way through the security room, lost in hus own thoughts, until a voice startled him back to reality. "Hey, Taylor! Good night, dude?" Raj asked as he walked in, offering him a small bag with plastic containers inside. "Your samples, little dude." He said cheerfully, as Taylor tried to shake away his uncertainty, telling himself to deal with his concerns once he was home.

"Yeah, good night. Nothing to report." He added to Sean, as his friend nodded and smiled, before heading out to begin his own rounds with Estela; his partner for the daytime shifts, at his side. "Oh, hey, Craig..." Taylor called, as the muscular man gave up his surveillance chair to Raj. "Thanks for not reporting me last night... I know I shouldn't have-"

 _"Report you..?_ For _what,_ brah?" Craig asked, his eyes widening in surprise as he exchanged an uncertain glance with Raj.

"For letting that guy stay in the store all night..." Taylor said, frowning as he grabbed his bag from his locker, walking back to his friend with a raised brow, as Craig laughed in relief.

"Oh man, I thought you were serious there, Taylor..." He sniggered, high fiving Taylor with more force than he seemed to realise. "You really had me going there!"

"Huh?" Taylor felt his brow crease in confusion, his heart beating heavy in his chest as he watched his friends amusement slowly fade. "What do you mean?" He asked, glancing at Raj as the other man merely shrugged his shoulders and turned to the various cameras screens.

"Bro..." Craig said awkwardly, eyeing Taylor worriedly. "You were _alone_ last night. I didn't see anybody with you all night." He said slowly, seeming reluctant to force the words out.

Taylor shook his head, his nose wrinkling in confusion. "But, that's not possible... He was-" he began, trailing off as he glanced between Raj and Craig, who both eyed him worriedly.

"Uh... maybe you should get some sleep, Taylor..." Craig said awkwardly, clearing his throat and throwing him an apologetic look, before ducking out of the security room.

Taylor stared in disbelief at the doorway where his friend had stood, ice prickling in his veins like salt in a wound. "Taylor..?" He blinked at the sound of Raj's hesitant voice, turning his confused gaze to his other friend. "You should head home, dude..." He said, gesturing to the door with a gentle nod.

Taylor nodded in return, his body moving without his permissio as it marched stiffly towards the exit. "Yeah... yeah..." He muttered, his lungs seeming to never quite catch enough breath as he stumbled his way out of the building.  _Was I asleep or something..?_  He wondered distantly, desperately trying to understand what had happened. _Did Craig fall asleep at the monitors..?_ As soon as he was on the street, he turned back with a confused frown, his mind clouded by countless questions and his heart heavy with rising despair. _Did I... imagine everything..?_


	2. Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo
> 
> This has taken me ages ro write and i an so so sorry  
> I have been hit with... something. Its making me constantly nauseous, dizzy and exhausted so... yeah. Not good.   
> Writing always normally makes me feel better but, i feel so sick all the time i cant concentrate and then end up passing out mid sentence -_- seriously not good
> 
> So anyway, i have cut this off anlittle shorter than first planned so it actually comes up - i dont wanna keep holding on but never getting anywhere so, now i can move it along a little ans hopefully have it ready for completion xmas day. Hope being the big word here.
> 
> I also HOPE you all enjoy this! Please lemme know your thoughts and i will try to make the necg chaoter happen sooner!
> 
> x My love to you all x

**The Christmas Wish.**

**Part Two.**

Taylors apartment felt cold and strangely foreign when he finally stumbled through his door. His thoughts were clouded by despondency and concern, his heart beating heavy and hard in his chest, as if it were personally offended by his self doubt and disbelief. He kicked his front door closed with his heel, shrugging out of his jacket and letting it slump to the ground, along with his bag.  He frowned as he moved blindly through his apartment to his kitchen and shoved Raj's creations into a space in his fridge and freezer. He then proceeded to his bedroom, falling face first onto his bed with a dramatic flair which he would have winced at, had he the energy or self awareness to.

 _What is going on_? He wondered, turning his head with a weary sigh to stare blankly across the apartment. _Craig can't possibly have missed that I had some guy walking around with me the entire night... Hell, we even stopped a couple of times just to sit and talk!_ He thought, his brow furrowing in confusion as he slowly folded his arms beneath his chin and bit his lip thoughtfully. _But the only way he could have **not** seen Jake, is if he wasn't there... and if he wasn't there, then that means I just spent an entire night talking to a, well... weirdly sexy and specifically stubborn new imaginary love interest. Which obviously means that I've skipped straight past crazy and jumped straight into-_ his rambling, increasingly hysterical thoughts tapered off with a grunt, as his phone began to vibrate.

 _"Urgh..._ moving bad..." He complained weakly, ignoring his phone until it began to buzz more determinedly. _"Uuuuuurghhhh,_ Diego, you suck so- actually I don't wanna think about that. Urgh... _Great,_ now I need brain bleach on top of everything else." He groused, rolling slightly so he could dig his phone free of his pocket, before flopping back onto his front.

 **Taylor! Are you okay?**! Taylor raised a brow at the near hysterical tone of his best friends messages, counting sixteen in total from the other man, just during the past three minutes, all demanding the same thing in various ways.

 **Fine.** He texted back, a suspicion already niggling at the back of his mind. **Why are you panicking**? He quickly added, wishing he could summon the energy to scroll through his emoji's for one which would convey his sarcastic eye roll; if he had the energy to perform one.

 **Craig and Raj messaged me and said you were acting weird after work**! Diego replied in seconds, and Taylor groaned as he slammed his face onto his pillow, exasperated and curiously unsurprised by his friends interference's. **Are you feeling okay? I knew we should have stayed with you another couple days**...  Taylor sighed at his phones persistent buzzing in his hand, reluctantly raising his head to read the barrage of messages he'd been sent. **Dude I'm gonna talk to Varyyn now, I'm thinking that if we could catch the next flight back, then we could be with you in about eighteen and a half hours.**

 **Do _not_ talk to Varyyn**. Taylors immediately responded, sighing as he was forced to participate in the conversation, knowing he needed to calm Diego down before he over worried himself. **Everything is fine. You don't need to come back, assbutt, you're supposed to be adventuring or family binding or some shit...** He grimaced as another batch of messages exploded into his inbox, shaking his head as he tried to sift through then quickly.

 **Are you sick?! What happened? Did you get injured during a robbery?!** Diego demanded, his messages slowly bleeding into each other until Taylor had to squint at them all. **Should I call you? Do you need a nursemaid?!** He read, his nose wrinkling in distaste at the thought. 

 **Dude, all of the no with a side of hell**! Taylor replied, sighing wearily at his friends excitable nature, and over active imagination. **Just calm down already. No calling, no visiting, no nursemaids, no-**

 **I'm calling**. Diego's message interrupted his own, and Taylor rolled his eyes and sighed, burying his face in his pillow to stifle his groan of frustration. A moment later, his ringtone blared to life and Taylor studiously ignored it, keeping his face smothered into the pillow.

" _Ooooh, you touch my tra-la-la.._." Crooned his phone, as Taylor grumbled and complained into his pillow, muttering incoherently about how he absolutely was not going to answer the call. " _My ding ding dong_..." His phone continued to blare, growing louder and almost seeming angrier, the longer he ignored it. 

Taylor finally sighed, accepting the call and raising the phone to his ear, despite remaining face down on his bed. _"Urgggggghhh..._ you're such an assbutt..." He muttered incoherently, his voice muffled by his pillow. "I hate you so much sometimes."

"Dude, what the hell is going on? Are you okay?! What took you so long?" Diego demanded, already speaking from before Taylor had even answered the phone. "As soon as I find Varyyn, I'm gonna tell him to get us a flight back to yo-" 

"Dude, breathe." Taylor sighed, finally rolling to his side and sucking in a deep breath himself, wishing he could avoid the call but knowing it was now inevitable, unless he wanted Diego to show up on his doorstep; panicked and disoriented from lack of sleep. "You are the _worst_ hypochondriac I have ever known, and its only made worse by the fact that its not even you that you actually worry yourself stupid about..." He whined into his phone, ignoring Diego's offended scoff as he scowled at his far wall unseeingly. "I _told_ you; I'm fine! There's nothing wrong, nobody has hurt me, I'm not sick or dying and nothing has happened. I literally _just_ got home from work dude, and I'm laying in bed, trying to avoid all your crazy paranoia and-"

"Hey, don't start with all that!" Diego groused, the line turning fuzzy for a moment as Diego moved to somewhere more private. "I can show you paranoia if you want me to, buddy. And once I'm done doing just that, I'm gonna kick your ass until you tell me what you're _hiding!"_ He hissed, as Taylor snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Diego, I have nothing to hide. You've been gone all of a day, dude." He scoffed, groaning as he forced himself to sit up. "In case you've forgotten; I'm Taylor, I'm the boring one who doesn't do crazy stuff that needs to be hidden. Unlike a certain _somebody_ who still hasn't actually told his parents he's _married!"_ He said scathingly, plucking at a loose thread on his duvet as Diego sucked in a sharp breath.

"Oooh, that was a _low_ blow, Taylor." Diego growled, as Taylor snorted and shook his head, imagining his friends furious scowl. "So what, you got home and thought jacking it was more important than confiding in your best friend?"

"Okay, remember the rule dude." Taylor warned, scowling as he pushed to his feet and shambled his way back to his front door, finally picking up his coat with a tired sigh. "No asking about sexual acts, real or otherwise, because neither of us needs or wants to know... besides, I haven't even had time dude, you started harassing me as soon as I got through the door." He groused, sighing as he put his phone on speaker and began rummaging through his fridge.

"Oh, I'm harassing you now?!" Diego cried down the phone, his tone edged with hysteria as Taylor merely rolled his eyes and grabbed the tubs which Raj had given him. "My concern for your wellbeing is now reduced to lowly _harassment?!_ I am not allowed to be worried about my friend when he's behaving out of character at wor-"

"First of all, stop being such a drama queen." Taylor sighed, skimming the small note with his reheating instructions, which Raj had stuck to the lid of the plastic container. "Second of all; if you didn't keep such a weird and creepy watch on me, then maybe you wouldn't keep hearing stupid half stories about things which haven't happened!" He drawled, as he removed the lid from the plastic container and stuffed it into his microwave, setting the timer and grabbing his phone as he walked towards his living room.

"If I didn't keep in touch with Craig and Raj, then you wouldn't tell me about this sort of stuff..." Diego grumbled petulantly, as Taylor sighed and ran his hand through his hair. 

"Nothing happened!" He cried in frustration, sprawling himself across his couch and throwing his arm over his eyes. "Dude, seriously! I was just tired after my shift, literally _nothing_ happened! I came home to goto sleep and couldn't because you kept _assaulting_ my phone!" He said in a rush, before finally forcing himself to pause and suck in a deep breath.

Their conversation lulled for a moment and Taylor began to feel bad for snapping at his friend, his arm sliding up from his eyes as he curled his fingers into his hair. "Diego, I'm sorry okay? I just, you worry too much dude. I'm fine..." He said, biting his lip at the minor white lie and telling himself it _was to protect Diego; and his bank account. Yup, not mentioning the whole going crazy thing, definitely a good choice_. He thought snidely, as he heard Diego sigh on the other end of the line.

"You're all alone there, Taylor... I just wanna know you're okay." He said, as Taylor closed his eyes and bit back the rush of loneliness which threatened to overwhelm him. "You're my best friend, ya idjit... I couldn't forgive myself if something-"

"Diego, I love you dude..." Taylor huffed, shaking his head as he stared at the ceiling vacantly. "But you can _not_ keep freaking yourself out like this. I would _tell_ you, if anything happened." He assured, groaning as he strained to sit up.

"You are _such_ a liar..." Diego snorted, though he sounded noticeably more relaxed than he had been at the start of the call. "Alright, alright... I'm sorry for, ya know, going all mother hen on you-"

"Dude, forget the hen; you were just the whole freaking farmyard..." Taylor snorted, shaking his head fondly as he stared at his coffee table and smiled absently, tracing an intricate whorl pattern with his finger.

"Hey, I will have you know that my inner hen resents that comment." Diego snarked, sighing heavily as Taylor bit his lip and dropped his finger from the table, jigging his knee uneasily. "Dude, I'm sorry... I just, I worry about you." Diego admitted reluctantly, the line quieting again between them as they each collected their thoughts. _"Maybe..._ I was already feeling a little guilty that we rushed off so quickly. I wish we had been able to stay for the holidays..."

"Diego, _stop_ okay?" Taylor said soothingly, smiling softly and half turning towards his kitchen, as he heard his microwave chime. "Dude... you can't keep feeling guilty for living your life. You can't just sit around here and babysit me; you have a husband, family and adventures waiting!" He said, trying his best to inject as much cheerfulness into his voice and mask his grief, even as his vision blurred with tears. "Nothing makes me happier dude, than knowing you're out there, living and _loving_ your own life." He said, a genuine smile gracing his lips.

"Dude..." Diego said thickly, making no attempt to hide his own tearful voice. "That was, unbelievable. Like, on a scale of one to sap that was-"

"Shut up, assbutt." Taylor groused, snorting as he rolled his eyes and stood from the couch with a small huff. "I have food ready now, so I'm gonna hang up. Think you can manage not freaking yourself out any further and enjoying whatever paradise you're off to?" He asked, smirking as Diego made an indistinct sound of protest down the phone.

 _"Dude..."_ He said scoldingly, as Taylor snickered and settled his phone between his ear and the crook of his shoulder. "That is so not what I do." He protested, huffing indignantly at the sound of Taylors quiet laughter.

"Oh, he _so_ does..." Murmured a low and amused voice behind him, and Taylor nodded awkwardly as he walked through to his kitchen, smiling as he moved to his microwave and opened the door.

"Yeah, you _really_ do." He agreed lightly, grabbing a dish cloth and removing the tub from the microwave, wincing at his still burnt fingers as he set the container on his counter. "You're like- _holy shit_!" He cried suddenly, cutting off his fond reply as his eyes widened, his phone slipping from its perch as he wheeled around and darted back to his living room.

"Hi, cutey!" Quinn giggled, wiggling her fingers at him happily from her perch on the back of his couch. "I'm so happy you're okay! I was worried after you hit your head you know, I wasn't sure what to do! I mean, I made you as confortable as I could, but then my visiting time expired and I had to get back to the top of the tree! And then-"

"What the-?!" Taylor yelped, shaking his head in disbelief as he began to hyperventilate. "I don't... Oh my god, you're..! But-"

"Taylor? _Taylor!"_ Diego's increasingly concerned voice erupted from Taylors discarded phone, and he glanced back worriedly as he imagined his friends panic returning. He held a hand out to the redhead, narrowing his eyes as he turned back to her. 

"You, just... _stay."_ He demanded, jabbing his finger to the couch accusingly as he backed away and quickly scooped up his phone. "Diego! Hey, yeah, everything's _fine!_ Totally cool, and nothing at all crazy happening! I just uh, dropped my phone... as I got my food out the microwave, ya know?" He forced an awkward chuckle, his eyes darting back through the door to check the mysterious redhead hadn't disappeared; spying her still sat on the back of his couch, swinging her legs and humming happily to herself. "Burnt my fingers and stuff... anyway, listen; you should really save your credit, and I should really eat before I catch some sleep! Okay? I'll text you later!"

"Taylor, what the _hell_ is going on?" Diego demanded, as Taylor winced and ran a hand through his hair distractedly. "Are you being held at gunpoint or something?" He asked urgently, as Taylor shook his head and forced himself to concentrate on the conversation.

"What?! _No!"_ He scoffed, running a hand through his hair in agitation. "Dude, what the hell? I'm fine, just hungry and tired..." He said vaguely, biting his lip as Diego seemed to weigh his words. He feigned a yawn, trying to soften his voice as if growing sleepy. "It was a long night, you know? Lots of uh... walking. I really just wanna eat this stuff Raj made me before it gets cold again, and then I can finally sleep..." He drawled, tapping his fingers on the counter as he glanced back into his living room, narrowing his eyes as he watched Quinn prod gently at some of the bells across his windows. "Seriously, dude; if i don't go now, I'm gonna be eating while you're on speaker phone, and we both know how much you hate that..."

"Urgh, fine." Diego finally groused, as Taylor closed his eyes in relief, before he began to edge his way back to his living room, narrowing them suspiciously at the distinct absence of the strange redhead. "But you better check in with me before you sleep _and_ when you wake up... and I'm totally gonna call Raj later to check your alright at wor-"

"Yeah, yeah awesome, dude!" Taylor said quickly, hurrying through his empty living room towards his bedroom. "Great talk! Chat later, Diego... Gotta go, _Byyyyyeee!"_ He gushed, ending the call and shoving his phone into his pocket as he burst into his bedroom. "Hey, crazy lady! Where the hell did you-"

"Hi, cutey!" The cheerful greeting drifted over his shoulder, and Taylor spun with a yelp, his hand rising to his chest as his heart pounded against his ribs from the shock.

 _"Aaaah!"_ He cried, stumbling back and tripping over the corner of his bed, sprawling to the floor into a heap of limbs, as he scowled at the strange woman. "Would you _please_ stop _doing_ that?!" He demanded, as she giggled unaffectedly. "... What the hell is going on? Who are you and how the hell did you get in here?!" He asked, his voice rising as his hysteria grew.

"Whoa, easy there sugarplum..." The woman said, her eyes widening at his obvious distress. She cleared her throat and crouched down before him, a huge smile on her face as she propped her chin on her knees. "Like I said; my name is Quinn, and I will be your fairy for the duration of your wish fulfilment." She repeated, as Taylor frowned and caught his breath, slowly sitting himself up in his knees and inching closer to her.

Taylor raised his hand and hesitantly reached forward, his finger finally prodding Quinn's arm gently. _"Aaah!"_ He choked, falling back on his ass in surprise again. "Oh my god, you're really real, aren't you? I'm not imagining you too, am I?" He pleaded, his brow creasing pitifully as he pressed his palms to the sides of his face, desperately hoping he wasn't crazy.

"Huh?" Quinn asked, frowning as she cocked her head curiously. "Well of course I'm real, silly..." She said, shaking her head fondly as she gently tapped her fingertip to his nose. "How else could I grant your wish?!" 

"Wish..?" Taylor asked, frowning and shaking his head as he rubbed at his nose and eyed the redhead warily. "You said that before... what wish? I don't-"

 _"Ahem..."_ Quinn said, standing with a dramatic flourish and holding out her finger to silence him. She reached down the front of her dress, and Taylor hastily averted his eyes, his face flushing scarlet. "Ah, here we go!" She called cheerfully, and Taylor risked glancing back to see her clearing her throat, a small note held before her eyes. "I quote; _'Despite everything that's happened, 'spite knowing better... I still wish, I could find someone, who can really... just love me._ ' Oooh, honestly, this one gave me shivers when I was up on your tree..! I just _had_ to help, cutey! I mean, everyone deserves to be loved..." She said, her arms hiding behind her back as she swayed slightly, biting her lip and peeking at him shyly. "Of course..." She said, scowling suddenly as she set her hand on her hip. "My landing could have used a little work... I fell right out of the tree and landed behind your couch in a very unladylike position!" She said, her eyes wide as Taylor stared at her in disbelief.

 _"Landed..."_ He choked at last, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair, drawing in a deep breath to try and clear the turbulent thoughts in his head. "Oh god, I have gone crazy haven't I? Or did I get hit by a car on the way home from the restaurant yesterday..?" He paused, frowning as he recalled having met Jake while out with Diego and Varyyn. Except they didn't see him either... He thought suddenly, blinking as pieces began to snap together in his mind. "Wait... you said before, something about a... partner?" He asked tentatively, as Quinn beamed at him and giggled.

"Sure I did, sugarplum!" She said, smiling brightly as she spun around and began to march back through to his living room. "And I gotta say, I really outdid myself with that one despite the limits... I mean, if you're _cute_ then they're _scorching!"_ She giggled, as Taylor scrabbled to his feet suddenly and charged after her.

"Wait, so... You just, _made_ a person..?" He demanded, the hint of urgency in his voice causing the redhead to look over at him in surprise. "Did I _actually_ just ask that..?" He muttered, lowering his eyes and scratching his head vigorously.

"Well, it's a little more complex than just _poofing_ them outta thin air, sure..." Quinn mused, as Taylors head jerked up suddenly, staring at her in shock and disbelief. "But, I suppose that's the basic gist of it, yeah." She added cheerfully, turning to daintily tap her finger against one of the bells on his window.

"I..." Taylor balked, swallowing hard as he shook his head and sat down on his couch heavily. "I don't believe it... I can't..." He mumbled, splaying his fingers across his temples and rubbing in gentle circles, drawing in several deep and calming breaths, as the redhead turned to frown at him. "I can't-"

"I can't believe it..." Quinn mimicked, rolling her eyes as she moved her hand like a mouth. "I don't believe in magic, its not possible! _Blah, blah, blah..."_ She sighed, her cheeks puffing out as she pouted at him balefully.

"Well, I mean, _come on!"_ Taylor protested, groaning as he flopped back on his couch and stared at his ceiling blankly, his thoughts dwelling on his mysterious night talking with a stranger nobody else had seen. "Can you really blame me for being skeptical?!" He demanded, tugging at his hair in frustration. 

"Oh, cutey..." Quinn sighed, running her fingers through her hair briefly, before brightening slightly and taking a seat beside him. "Okay, how about this? I'll prove to you, that magic is real... and then we can start over, with no more negativity; okay?" She said, gently taking his hands in her own and forcing him to sit straight.

"Right..." Taylor scoffed, rolling his eyes as he turned towards her with a disbelieving grimace. "Sure. Why not? There's a fairy in my living room; about to show me real magi-" he trailed off with a small frown, as something caught his attention.

He looked at Quinn, who smiled mischievously and gestured to Taylors tree. With a last suspicious look, he turned to kneel over the back of his couch, to gaze at the tiny golden instruments scattered among the trees branches. He hesitated, before leaned closer to a tiny trumpet, jerking back when he heard the tinny blast of a jazzy tune escape it. "No..." He choked, his eyes widening as he looked up at a small harp, leaning closer to hear its soft and soothing melody. Taylor leaned further and further over the back of his couch, darting between the tiny gold ornaments and listening to the various sounds they made, before pulling back with a shake of his head, rubbing his brow in confusion. "But... that's not..." He began, as Quinn huffed and folded her arms over her chest petulantly.

"I _know_ you're not about to say 'not possible,' Mr cutey pants." She said sulkily, pouting at Taylors obvious disbelief. "You know, you're really hard to please, Mr!" She said, averting her eyes with a huff and tapping her foot against the couch thoughtfully. "Okay, Mr doubty, cutey pants... try and deny _this!"_ She demanded, breaking into another bright smile as she held out her palm towards him.

"Oh my..." Taylor breathed, watching with slowly widening eyes, as two tiny figures began to form, coalescing from the very air like wisps upon her palm. The two began to dance gently, an elegant waltz which seemed to bleed into one consistent motion, wisps of their smoke like appearance trailing after then as they spun elegantly around her palm. "This... I..." Taylor began, falling silent with minor alarm when Quinn's free hand took his and laid it flat beside her own. The dancing figures twirled across the expanded space, gracefully gliding across Taylors palm as Quinn smiled and drew her hand away.

"Well, Mr I don't believe..?" She giggled softly, watching with a small, fond smile as his disbelief began to morph into wonder his gaze locked onto the tiny, wispy figures.

Taylor felt his heart tighten in his chest, his mouth drying as he slowly brought his hand up before his face, a breathless chuckle escaping him as he felt the warmth of the tiny, almost ghostly feet treading gently across his palm. "This is..." He murmured, shaking his head in awe. 

"See?" Quinn whispered, biting her lip nervously as she watched Taylor stare at the tiny dancing figures on his palm. "All sorts of things can happen... if you just have a little faith." She murmured, raising her hand and snapping her fingers suddenly, the wispy figures disappearing in a small puff of smoke which drifted lazily for a moment, before disappearing entirely.

Taylor blinked rapidly, shaking himself from his stupor as he drew in a shaly breath and looked around his living room dazedly. "So... uh, magic's real, huh..?" He coughed, pausing as he tried to gather his thoughts. "Okay... yup, okay, this is me... totally _not_ freaking out about that." He said awkwardly, clearing his throat and jiggling his knee restlessly.

"There's nothing to be freaked out by, silly! Magic is a good thing, and its only dished out to those who deserve and need it the most..." Quinn said, smiling as she watched Taylor try to grapple with what he'd seen. "You're like, a record holder by the way! Nobody has had their wish processed so quickly before!" She added brightly, as Taylor cleared his throat and glanced away, his cheeks stained with pink.

"Uh..." He coughed awkwardly, uncertain how to react to such a revelation and instead opting to divert the subject. "So, this um, partner you mentioned... are they like..." He began, gesturing to his palm where the tiny wisps had danced.

"Oh no, silly! They look just like real people!" Quinn explained, her brow creasing delicately in thought. "I didn't have long to work with the other night, I had to get back to the top of the tree... but I made a start-"

"Oh god..." Taylor choked suddenly, spinning to pin Quinn with an urgent gaze. "You... you made one? A partner for me, last time I saw you? Would anyone else be able to see these... partner things?" He asked, biting his lip and almost reaching for her hand, before instead wringing his own in his lap.

"Of _course,_ sweetie!" Quinn laughed lightly, batting Taylor on the nose fondly. "Like I said, I didn't get long so they're probably not noticeable to anyone else until in direct contact with them... Like, say if you specifically wanted to introduce someone to them. I guess for now they're just like, you're private buddy! But I mean, I could fix that now-"

"No..." Taylor huffed softly, drawing a deep breath as he cocked his head, trying to decide just how he felt about the realisation that he'd spent an entire night wandering around with a semi-imaginary friend, who was most definitely hotter than was really fair, given his non-realness. His stomach twisted itself into a knot, before releasing itself again, as he sighed slowly. "No, it's actually okay... I, uh... I had fun last night. And that's honestly more important right now, than whether other people can see who or what I can..." He said thoughtfully, smiling faintly as he shook his head, now understanding how Jake had managed to sneak back into the shopping centre. "Its been awhile... since I did fun." He admitted quietly, as he inhaled deeply and held the breath for a brief moment, letting go of his disappointment about Jake's realism and allowing himself to bask in the relief instead, knowing there would be no real expectations or any reason for him to resist.

"Aww, cutey..." Quinn murmured, scooting closer beside him and taking his hand gently. "You just have as much fun as you want, sugarplum! But remember, you have to make some progress coming outta that shell of yours! Else we're gonna be roommates for a long while!" She giggled, smiling when Taylor turned towards her with a raised brow. "I'm here for the duration of your wish, sweetie... So until you find your confidence and admit you've found love; you're stuck with me!" She said, as Taylor grimaced and paled, already planning many sleepovers at various friends houses and motels. "Of course, I have limited time to actually talk to you... Usually I would be restricted to the midnight hour, but as you're a tricky cookie, my times have been altered."

Taylor blinked, a slow frown blossoming on his face as he examined Quinn dubiously. "... altered?" He asked uncertainly, raising a brow as Quinn huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Fairies can't exactly be flying around in your world willy billy, silly..." She chuckled, pushing lightly to her feet and strolling across the room, her dress glittering as she examined the room thoughtfully. "We're restricted to an hour, where we can come and visit our wish maker; after that we have to return to our posts. For me, that's the top of your tree." She added, gesturing to the empty space at the top of his tree.

Taylor frowned, eyeing the empty branch for a long moment, before turning back to Quinn with a thoughtful expression. "So what, Fairies are really just like, any ornaments for sale?" He asked, raising his palms in placation when Quinn narrowed her eyes at him. "Hey, I'm just curious! I mean, I bought that tree topper for all of ten bucks after I finished work one night..." He explained, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"It's not quite like that..." Quinn said, frowning as she rested her hand on her hip. "I mean, Christmas Fairies like me sure, but honestly; a lot of people just use a star or a bow at the top of their trees now..."

"So then, who makes them?" Taylor pressed, narrowing his eyes as he stared at his own palms, slowly flexing his fingers as he tried to understand. "I mean, is there some magic elf out there, carving out replicas of you guys, or... or do you just like, stuff yourselves into boxes?"

"Oh, gosh!" Quinn laughed, shaking her head and causing her long red hair to float around her, as if it were underwater. "Nothing so morbid!" She giggled, brushing her hand over one of Taylors perfectly symmetrical streamers gently. "Think of it more as a... reflection. What _you_ put at the top of your tree, was a real Fairie... But that doesn't mean _every_ tree topper is a real Fairie!" She hummed playfully, hugging her arms behind her back as she smiled at him over her shoulder. 

"And uh, real Fairies like you just... wait around in shops for people to pick them up and take them home?" Taylor asked, trying to hide an amused smirk behind his hand as he feigned a yawn.

"No, Mr doubty pants." Quinn scoffed, narrowing her eyes at him knowingly. "You're a special case... and there may or may not have been some pixie dust and some heavy influencing so that you'd pick me." She explained, blushing faintly before shrugging dismissively and turning towards him with a frown. "Basically, you're closing your heart off... and if you keep it up, you're gonna end up alone for the rest of your life. I'm here to stop that from happening."

"So..." Taylor said slowly, pushing to his feet and scratching his ear thoughtfully. "If I fall in love, you go away again... and if not, what? I'm stuck with you forever?" He scoffed, rolling his eyes until he realised Quinn was pointedly avoiding his eyes.

"Well... that's _one_ scenario." She said reluctantly, peeling at him shyly. "The other... the other is that I _fail._ If you continue to distance yourself from love, if you close your heart off... then you'll be alone. _Forever."_ She sighed sadly, gently running a finger over one of the trumpets on the tree, as Taylor frowned at her. "Of course, I'll be taken before the Council and stripped of my magic, cast out of the Fairie community and generally looked down upon by any and all magical creatures... But never mind _that."_ She added in a rush, clearing her throat and moving towards the tree as Taylor felt his gut clench nervously, already uncomfortable with the weight of such a heavy penalty on his shoulders.

"I-" he began, only to.fall silent as Quinn stepped up beside the tree and turned with a flourish, beaming a bright smile at him and winking excitedly. 

"I'm sorry I can't stick around and chat more, but we can catch up tomorrow, okay?" She said cheerfully, giggling as she blew him a kiss from her palm. Taylor balked as a tiny pair of red lips floated across the room, attaching themselves to his cheek like a lipstick mark. "Don't forget to find your partner tonight! And have _fun!"_ She said, as her dress began to glitter brightly. Soon the glittering effect spread, growing to a great shimmer which obscured Quinn entirely. Taylor stared with a slack jaw, as the shimmering shape condensed and rose into the air slowly, settling at the top of his tree and finally fading away to reveal his missing tree topper.

"Holy... shit..." Taylor breathed, blinking in disbelief as he stared at the fairy atop his tree, slowly inching closer and tapping his finger to her tiny foot. "... this is _so_ fucked up." He muttered, shaking his head as he drew in a deep breath and stepped back again. _Okay, so no pressure or anything... 'cause its not like me laughing all this off as a dream doesn't have major consequences for a Fairie._.. He thought, grimacing as he recalled Quinn's rushed explanation of what would happen should he refuse to participate. _Oh god, if Diego knew about all this, he'd have a field day... He'd have Craig and Raj on the phone quicker than_ - 

 _"Raj!_ Oh my _god!"_ He gasped suddenly, his eyes widening as he dodged around his couch and darted back into his kitchen. He groaned in frustration as he approached the tub of Raj's curry, which had once more turned cold while it stood on the side. "Aw, man..." He complained, grabbing a fork and prodding the meal with distinctly lowered enthusiasm. He sighed and picked up the tub, leaning around his kitchen door to scowl at the fairy atop his tree. "You owe me a hot meal." He groused petulantly, shaking his head before he began to shovel his friends concoction into his mouth. He marvelled at the combining flavours, nodding at Raj's excellence and only wishing he'd not forgotten it so long so that he could have eaten it hot.

Once he was finished with his disappointingly cold meal, he sighed and washed the tub out thoroughly, setting it on his draining board to dry while he slept. He yawned deeply and strolled through his apartment to his bathroom, quickly setting about his familiar routine before heading to his bedroom. Once he'd stripped off his uniform and dumped it in his wash basket, he crawled into bed and curled himself up beneath his duvet, humming contently as he began to warm. _Guess Chinese is off the menu tonight then..._ He thought briefly, snorting as he yawned again and tired ran a hand through his hair. He felt a faint hollowness in his gut, a sense of disappointment that Jake was merely the creation of a Fairie to lure him back into world of flirting and dating and all the things he'd told himself he didn't need in his life. _But now apparently have no choice in, because if I don't at least try and be open to this, then the nice if somewhat crazy Fairie who lives on top of my tree; will be excommunicated and banished and god knows what else_... Taylor rolled  his eyes, his mind boggling at the insanity which had dropped itself into his lap. He rolled onto his side with a sigh, pulling the covers tighter as he wondered briefly about the night ahead. He bit his lip, unable to deny that some small part of himself was looking forward to seeing his new imaginary friend again. "Well... why the hell not?" He muttered, his eyes slipping closed as he finally pushed everything from his mind, and drifted off to sleep.

Taylor woke up to his alarms enthusiastic bleating several hours later, whining in distress when he also heard his phone chiming incessantly from his uniform pocket. _"Nnnnng... Diego."_ He groaned, wincing as he recalled his broken promise to text both before and after sleeping. _"Urrrrgggghh..._ between stupid, wish councils... Fairies and, overbearing best friends..." Taylor grumbled tiredly, covering his head with his pillow as he tried to ignore all the noise. When his efforts proved ineffectual, he sighed and finally rolled from his bed, knocking his alarm from the cupboard and stomping over to dig his uniform out of the washing so he could grab his phone out of his pocket.

"Oh, come _on_ man..." He complained, staring at his screen in disbelief and frustration, as the screen flashed with the warning that his voicemail was full, and he had fifty three unread text messages. "... I hate my life." He sighed, quickly typing out a message to his friend to confirm he was alive and was about to shower, and promised to call in exactly fifteen minutes; once he was fully awake. "Godammit, half way around the world and he _still_ has his nose in my life..." He muttered affectionately, shaking his head as he tossed his phone to his bed and hurried to take his shower.

By the time he'd finished his shower and called Diego, reassuring him countless times that he was in fact alive, fine and had merely fallen asleep too fast to text; Taylors next shift was fast approaching. He glanced at the clock, and decided to forgo the washing in order to iron his uniform, setting a reminder on his phone to start the machine as soon as he got home in the morning instead. "This is so stupid..." He muttered, shaking his head as he dragged the iron over his clean uniform, snorting when he found he couldn't remember the last time he'd actually ironed any of them. "Two years I've had this job, and I only start to take pride in it when I get a hot, imaginary friend that a Fairie made for me." He scoffed, as he finished up, unplugging the iron and  setting it on his kitchen windowsill to cool. With a chuckle, he donned his uniform and grabbed his bag, glancing at the clock to see it was half past five. "Right... meeting my new imaginary friend time." He huffed, shaking his head as his stomach swam with butterflies, unreasonably nervous about seeing Jake again now that he knew the truth of his interest. _At least I don't need to worry he might meet someone else._.. He thought, sniggering to himself in amusement as he strolled out his front door.

By the time he reached the shopping centre, Taylors gut had tied itself into an uncomfortable knot, his nerves causing his heart to skip every third beat. "I am _not_ nervous about my invisible date... I am _not_ nervous about my invisible date..." He muttered beneath his breath, as he trotted in through the public entrance, shaking his head as he tried to calm the erratic beat of his heart. "I am _not_ nervous about my..." He trailed off, biting his lip as he reached the area near the security room, where he'd promised to meet Jake. He glanced at his watch, and saw that he was already running slightly behind schedule. "My invisible date is five minutes late..." He mumbled, as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and moved to the wall, leaning back as he frowned and began to people watch, turning his head to watch the various shoppers trickle throughout the stores. "Stupid imaginary friend, running late. I was supposed to make a grand entrance, but _noooo..._ stupid invisible date has probably stood me u-"

"Anyone stands ya up, is an idiot." The amused drawl came from the wall beside him, and he yelped as he turned suddenly, bumping his head on the wall from the force of his momentum.

 _"Aaah!"_ He gasped, before scowling and rubbing at his head. "Uh, ow..." He grumbled, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as his eyes fell upon Jake, his legs crossed as he leaned against the wall and watched him with obvious amusement.

"Careful there, Boy Scout..." He snorted, grinning as he flicked his eyes over the bumped area, as if making sure he weren't injured. "Give yaself concussion and I'm gonna have to eat all this myself." He huffed, seeming satisfied Taylor hadn't hurt himself. Jake raised a paper bag with a flourish, revealing the label of a familiar Chinese which Taylor had visited a few times.

 _One which kindly doesn't use garlic if you ask.._. He thought, ducking hus head to hide a small smile and a chuckle. _My imaginary friend apparently read my mind and magicked me food from the only place in town which I can eat Chinese_. He bit his lip as he cleared his throat, raising his eyes to meet Jake's amused gaze. _Oh shit, can you read my mind?!_ He thought suddenly, his eyes widening slightly as he froze, staring at Jake in horror as he remembered some of the decidedly not innocent thoughts he'd had about the other man the previous evening.

Jake raised a brow, watching Taylor fidget for a moment before snorting. "Ya alright there, Boy Scout?" He asked, his grin turning sly as he met Taylors distraught stare easily. "Ya gonna have to use ya big boy words I'm afraid, my mind meldin' is a little rusty." He sniggered, rustling the bag gently. "Also... I went through the entire phone book to find somewhere that caters for specific allergies, so if we can eat before it gets cold, that'd be great." He added, smirking when Taylors eyes returned to the bag.

Taylor blinked, shaking himself from his horrified stupor as relief flooded him, heat flushing his cheeks as he cleared his throat. "Um... yeah. Sorry. Not quite awake yet..." He mumbled evasively, quickly glancing around the crowds in the stores and feeling suddenly too crowded and cramped. "Um, I know somewhere we can... eat. Alone, I mean." He said, his face burning as Jake raised his other brow and smirked at him. "I mean, not that we need to be _alone_ to eat, just that there won't be people to see us... all around. Jostling and watching and..." He trailed off, glancing around again as his stomach twisted with discomfort.

"Hey." Jake said lightly, pushing away from the wall and stepped forward, nudging Taylors shoulder gently with his own. "Don't have a hernia, Boy Scout." He said, gesturing for Taylor to lead the way. "After _you."_ He said, smiling as Taylor blushed and cleared his throat.

After only a moments hesitation, Taylor turned and led the way to the staff stairwell, where Jake paused with a raised brow. "Oh, come on... I know who and what you are now." Taylor scoffed, rolling his eyes as he strolled through the door and held it open for Jake to follow.

"Oh?" Jake asked, raising a brow with a grin. "Ya do, do ya? And uh, just what is it that I am, exactly?" He said, raising a curious brow as he passed by and allowed Taylor to close the door behind him.

 _"Way_ too pleased with yourself, right now." Taylor snorted, unable to hide a small grin as he caught Jake's smug smirk, rolling his eyes as he led the other man up the stairs to the rooftop. "Sorry, it might be a little chilly... But there's a fairly decent shelter around the far side, and the views not too bad." Taylor said apologetically, entering the code on the door panel and heading out onto the roof, once more holding the door for Jake. "It was either this or the basement." He admitted, shrugging a shoulder as he smiled playfully.

"Heh, gonna take more than a little cold weather for ya to get rid of me Boy Scout." Jake sniggered, stepping out onto the roof with Taylor and following him around to a sheltered area as Taylor dropped his bag and turned to face him, suddenly awkward without the distraction of the journey to focus on. "So, uh... Ya wanna eat?" Jake offered, waving the bag beneath Taylors nose with a playful grin.

"Y-yeah... food. Is good. Lets... do that." Taylor said, sitting stiffly as he sucked in a deep breath, frowning as he buried his face in his hands, confused by the sudden reappearance of his nerves.

"Alright there, Boy Scout?" Jake asked lightly, though Taylor could feel the other mans eyes on him. He looked up to find a small carton outstretched toward him, as Jake jiggled it welcomingly with a small grin. "I might've gone slightly overboard... I didn't know what ya'd like, other than garlic free." He said sheepishly, his cheeks dusting pink beneath his stubble. "D'ya... wanna napkin, or somethin'?" He asked as Taylor accepted the carton, blinking up at Jake uncomprehendingly. "Cover ya uniform." Jake snickered, as Taylor blushed and shook his head quickly. Jake shrugged, settling himself beside Taylor and digging out his own carton of food before chuckling and offering Taylor a fork. "I didn't know how ya got on with chopsticks either, so..."

"You... _really_ went all out." Taylor said slowly, accepting the fork shyly and slowly turning the carton in his hands. "Is this all, part of the... ya know..." He said, gesturing with his hand vaguely as he glanced at Jake, who raised a brow and began to scoop noodles into his mouth while he waited for Taylor to elaborate. "The... the _thing."_ Taylor said awkwardly, his cheeks burning a dark rouge as Jake began to choke, trying to contain his laughter. _For an imaginary date, he can be such an ass._.. Taylor thought hotly, scowling as he turned away and opened his own carton of Chinese, stabbing at his black bean beef and rice with both frustration and embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Boy Scout, ya just..." Jake coughed, trying and failing to contain his amusement. "Oh, come on, don't look like that. It ain't personal, ya just way too cute sometimes. I weren't expectin' that, is all..." He chuckled, spreading his hands apologetically and making an obvious effort to contain his amusement. "Alright, now, ya gonna have to help me out a little here. Which answer is least likely to make ya run away?" He asked knowingly, smirking as Taylor laughed with quiet guilt and ducked his head.

"Okay, I guess I kinda deserved that." He admitted, a small grin curling his lips as he nudged his shoulder to Jake's and began to eat properly. "You must hate this gig... having to basically babysit such a..."

"Pain in the ass?" Jake offered, grinning as Taylor shot him a half hearted glare. "Eh, all the best and most fun things have a little pain and a little ass involved." He replied, winking when Taylor doubled over his carton and spat out a mouthful of rice and beef, his cheeks flaring brightly.

"Oh my god..." He choked, as Jake smirked and watched him struggle to regain his composure with obvious amusement. "You never stop, do you? Isn't it exhausting?" He asked, carefully refilling his fork and taking another bite, aa Jake shrugged his shoulder dismissively.

"Bein' this awesome? Nah..." He said easily, as Taylor laughed and shook his head. "To answer ya properly, though..." Jake drawled slowly, breaking the companionable silence which had fallen over them as he reached into the take out bag and pulled out a bottle of rice wine. "Ya definitely ain't what I was expectin'... But, I ain't exactly sayin' that's a bad thing." He said, smirking as he removed the top from the bottle and threw Taylor a wink, before chugging a large swig.

Taylor shook his head, biting his lip and lowering his gaze as his cheeks continued to glow faintly. He stuffed another mouthful of food into his mouth, before extending his hand for the rice wine, only to look back at Jake sharply when he slapped Taylors hand away playfully. "Uh uh, Boy Scout." He teased, smirking as he took another swig. "Ya on duty soon, after all. Can't have ya all half cut while on the job, however hilarious it might be for me." He snickered, as Taylor scowled and rolled his eyes. "Luckily... as I'm such a swell guy; I planned accordin'ly..."

Taylor raised a brow as Jake rummaged in the bag again quickly, drawing out a bottle of soda and dropping it in Taylors lap with an unrepentant grin. "Okay, this is seriously affecting my appraisal of this date." Taylor groused, narrowing his eyes at Jake playfully.

"Oh?" Jake asked, raising a brow and lowering his bottle briefly, smirking at Taylors pink cheeks as he defiantly met Jake's curious and amused gaze. "So this has progressed from; losin' a bet, to an _invisible_ date, to just 'date' huh?" He asked, his amusement growing as Taylors cheeks steadily darkened, burning from his embarrassment despite the chilled air around them.

"... Shut up." Taylor muttered, taking a sip of his drink to avoid having to look at Jake's smug expression any longer. _Guess he heard everything then... though I guess it doesn't matter, now we have everything else out in the open_. He thought, unable to fight off a small smile as hr continued eating.

"So, how'd ya end up here?" Jake asked suddenly, peering over curiously as Taylor raised his brows and purposely stuffed his mouth with another bite of his food. "C'mon, Boy Scout. Ya already know all about me, and I ain't askin' ya for personal shit to blackmail ya with or anythin'. Just... colour me curious. Ya don't strike me as the kind to settle for late night security guard..."

Taylor turned back to his carton, poking at his rice and beef thoughtfully for a long pause. "You really wanna know? Or is this just more of the whole..?" He trailed off uncertainly, frowning as his emotions turned muddy, making it difficult to decide how he wanted the other man to answer. _Is he even capable of wanting to know that for himself..? Or is this just another part of the whole 'partner' thing?_ He couldn't help but wonder, frowning pensively.

"Is it _really_ so hard to think I'm just curious about ya?" Jake snorted, closing his emptied container and rifling through the take out bag for another. "I mean, what? Ya on the run? Secret killer by day, security guard by night?" He asked simply, as he began to fork rice into his mouth.

"Nothing so interesting I'm afraid." Taylor laughed, his heart lightening despite himself, as he found himself glancing over curiously. "So you weren't like, given a file to memorize about me?" He teased, nudging the other mans shoulder playfully as he finally allowed himself to let go of his concerns. _If there was every a person for me to open up to and finally talk about this stuff to, it might as well be my new imaginary friend_. He thought, snorting to himself as Jake grinned and raised a brow hopefully.

"Urgh, okay, _okay..."_ He snickered, feigning a weary sigh as he rolled his eyes. "But its not like its anything special. Basic idiot, that'd be me, meets a guy and thinks he'd in love." Taylor said lightly, turning his empty Chinese carton in his hand slowly. "Ups and leaves the family, the hometown and everything else to follow the guy across state to take up a career as a singer. And not to toot my own horn, but I was pretty hot-"

"Ya say that as if it ain't true anymore." Jake interrupted, startling Taylor out of his quiet remembrance as he glanced over and bit his lip to contain his laughter. "What, don't tell me ya look in a mirror each day and tell yaself ya ain't hot anymore?"

"Shut up, Top Gun." Taylor snorted, shaking his head as he refocused on his past, pleasantly surprised to find it didn't sting so much as he had expected it to. "I meant as a singer. A lot of clubs wanted me to headline for a night, or a few private parties for the ritzier side of town. It was nice, but it meant I wasn't home a lot... the new apartment, that was." He said, sighing as he dropped his carton into Jake's take out bag and wrapped his arms around his knees, looking out across the skyline as the sunlight faded. "The guy I came with got... bored. He said it was because I was more interested in my career, that I didn't really love him and neglected him... that I had just led him on. But at times since, I've come to think he was just bored of _me,_ specifically, and made excuses." Taylor explained quietly, purposely avoiding looking back at Jake, staring out into the sky around them as his heart quivered in his chest.

 _"Ahem..._ anyway, without him I, uh, kinda fell apart for a bit." He admitted begrudgingly, grimacing faintly as he remembered his less than admirable time wallowing. "It got to the point that I couldn't afford the rent for my apartment anymore, but I really didn't wanna lose it... So I stopped fooling around and got a _proper_ job, working night shift security right here. Been going strong ever since." He said, drawing in a deep breath and sighing heavily. "I don't... think I've ever said all that out loud before..." He added, cocking his head thoughtfully.

Jake frowned, watching Taylor studiously as he continued to avoid looking back at the other man. He hesitated a moment, taking a large swig of his rice wine, before nudging the bottle against Taylors elbow. Taylor looked down, before reluctantly glancing up at Jake, though the other man was pointedly looking out at the view ahead of them. "A little ain't gonna hurt ya, just don't expect me to share it with ya again." He huffed without looking over, missing Taylors shy grin as he accepted the bottle and took a brief sip. He handed the bottle back gently, his cheeks warming as he scuffed his toe against the roof. "Ya know that guy, whoever he was... he was an idiot." Jake said lightly, causing Taylor to peek up at him in surprise. "He lost a good thing... and I think _you_ had a lucky escape." He added, turning to Taylor with a soft, lopsided grin. 

Taylor flushed beneath the open and honest warmth of the other mans gaze, words abandoning him as he felt his gut squirm uncomfortably. "I..." He stammered, blinking quickly and finally tearing his eyes away from Jake's, as he cleared his throat. "I should probably head down shortly..." He said awkwardly, gripping his knees tightly as his stomach lurched in a confusing, excited somersault.

"... _Taylor."_ Jake said quietly, causing the breath to catch in Taylors throat, as his heart skipping a beat as his pulse quickened, blood rushing in his ears. He felt his cheeks burning in the cold night air, as Jake sighed and curled a finger beneath his chin, forcing him to look over at him. "Ya a _stubborn_ little..." Jake muttered, leaning close and angling his body towards Taylor in an unusual display of uncertainty. "Look," he said, exhaling heavily through his nose as he swept his thumb over Taylors cheek, his eyes narrowing slightly as he seemed to see deeper than Taylor was prepared for. "What that guy did to ya, it weren't on _you._ Ya gotta accept it, and let it go."

"How..?" Taylor murmured, biting his lip as he frowned up at Jake in confusion, overwhelmed by the varying emotions flooding through him. "I messed everything up, not just with him and my career, but my family too... They still won't forgive me-"

"Then they're as dumb as this asshole was..." Jake said, cutting Taylor off before he could say anything further. "Ya deserve better, 'kay? Don't let yaself believe otherwise." He insisted, reaching down with his free hand to squeeze Taylors reassuringly.

Taylor swallowed thickly, trying to push his heart back down from his throat as Jake's brow creased slightly. He skipped a breath, as Jake leaned closer and slowly brushed his lips over Taylors, before releasing him and scooting back, clearing his throat abruptly. "I..." He murmured, looking down at his feet as he bit his lip, unable to decide if he wanted to smile, cry or just begin gasping for breath as his heart clamoured in his chest. "Um..." He coughed, trying to clear his scrambled thoughts enough to form coherent words. "Was that... part of the uh, job..?" He asked awkwardly, trying to take several discreet deep breaths as his face burnt.

 _"Ahem,_ nah..." Jake huffed, scratching the back of his neck guiltily. "That was all me." He admitted, flashing Taylor a cocky grin which eased the tension forming in his gut and drew a light, warm laugh from him. "I'd say I'm sorry, but I ain't. Consider it thanks for, ya know, lettin' me be ya 'invisible date' for the night." He said, winking at Taylor as he snorted and shook his head.

"Well, I think really I should say thanks..." Taylor huffed, gathering the empty containers together to toss in the trash on the way inside. "This was... surprisingly not awful." He said, as Jake laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Had to go and clarify with 'surprisingly', huh? Really feelin' the gratitude there, Boy Scout." He snarked, getting to his feet with a small groan. "C'mon then, let's get you to work." He said, hesitating a moment, before extending his hand to Taylor. 

Taylor stared at the other mans hand briefly, before smiling and accepting his help, allowing Jake to pull him to his feet. "Let's see you get back inside in ten minutes this time, Top Gun." He said, grinning fondly as Jake laughed in surprise. "And if you do... maybe I'll let you reposition one of the mannequins." He offered with a snicker, his heart light in his chest as Jake waved his brows suggestively, winking and flashing him a cocky smirk. As Taylor led the way back inside, he couldn't help but smile, warm with gratitude and affection, and the lingering tingle of his phantom kiss.


	3. Part Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I half asleep  
> Ye has to let me know if i missed somethin editin, also im sorry it toom so long to catch up... im a very bad girl snd i say sorrŕry
> 
> Please let.me know what you think; i wont lie - the smut scene haa taken me about three days to write alone... i reallly triee
> 
> X my love to you all X

**The Christmas Wish.**

**Part Three**.

The following few weeks passed with a surprising amount of laughter, and an unusual sense of both excitement and anticipation. Taylor found himself slowly opening up to Jake, delving into rare topics that he would usually avoid even with Diego.

"So, ya got any siblings?" Jake had asked one night, as he remodelled a display of mannequins into rude positions, while Taylor blushed and pointedly averted his eyes. "Why ain't ya just called ya folks? Where abouts are they?"

"I can't believe I'm actually letting you do this..." Taylor muttered, shaking his head as he ignored the other man, determined not to turn and see his handiwork first hand. His stomach flipped, knowing only too well that such a sight would only further confuse his rapidly muddying feelings about his 'partner'.

"Heh, a bets a bet, Boy Scout." Jake snorted, his amusement clear as Taylor bit his lip and listened to the faint shuffling sounds from behind him carefully. "If ya don't wanna _lose,_ don't bet _against_ me."

"Right, because you _never_ lose a bet." Taylor scoffed, rolling his eyes as he smiled despite himself, remembering one of their previous conversations.

 _"Damn straight."_ Jake sniggered from somewhere behind him, as Taylor bit his lip to keep from laughing. _"See?_ Ya gettin' it now, Boy Scout." He called cheerfully, hopping down from a display and landing a short distance from Taylor with an immensely pleased grin on his face. "Wanna see-?"

 _"No."_ Taylor said quickly, clearing his throat and flushing as he rocked on the balls of his feet and watched the other mans expression turn even more smug. "What? Why're you looking at me like that?" He asked suspiciously.

"Nothin'." Jake said smugly, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Just seems like ya a little scared of seein' somethin' ya might..." He drawled, slowly walking closer as Taylors blush darkened. "... like." He muttered, winking at Taylor exaggeratedly and causing him to snort with laughter, his suspicions forgotten.

"Oh no, ya got me, Top Gun." He snarked dryly, rolling his eyes as he jostled Jake's shoulder playfully. "Maybe I just don't want any insight into your gutter thoughts." He said, smirking as he began to idly stroll away from the clothing district.

"Ha, trust me, that little posin' display ain't nothin'." Jake promised, winking again as he fell into step beside Taylor. "I bet ya just worried ya'll want me to show ya first hand how some of 'em work..." He said confidently, as Taylor tripped over his own foot, looking up at Jake's retreating back with wide eyes once he'd regained his balance.

 _"What?!"_ He yelped, before clearing his throat at Jake's pointed snigger. He frowned and bit his lip, narrowing his eyes at Jake's turned back as he walked away. He hesitated briefly, before glancing back behind to where they'd been, immediately turning forward again with his cheeks burning fiercely. _"Ahem..."_ He coughed, quickly falling into step beside Jake again. "I thought you said you didn't make bets you knew you wouldn't win..."

"Nah," Jake said, flashing Taylor a cocky grin as they strolled through the shopping centre. "Just that I _never_ lose." He corrected, smirking when Taylors blush deepened. 

Taylors eyes remained locked onto Jake's, wanting to deny the implication, but finding his throat too tight to force the words free. Finally he lowered his gaze, and Jake grinned as if he knew he'd already won. "Now, quit deflectin'..." Jake said, as Taylor had sighed dramatically, smiling as Jake steered the conversation back to his family and had finally got him to open up about them.

Taylor was lounging on his couch, recalling the memory fondly as he half watched a random episode of Sunset Beach, his eyes following the movements of the topless lifeguards on the screen, but envisioning his weeks memories far deeper within his mind instead. "Hey, cutey... _ooooh!_ Is that Casey all wet and glistening?" Quinn chimed, leaning over the back of the couch as glitter dispersed in the air.

 _"Aaaaahh!"_ Taylor yelped, rolling off the couch in surprise. His expression darkened as he looked up to see Quinn, smiling brightly and wigging her fingers at him in greeting. "Hey, don't look cute and innocent at me! I told you to quit doing that!" He groused, gathering himself from the floor and righting his shirt.

"Aw, but you look so _adorable_ when you're all embarrassed and dishevelled!" She giggled in response, utterly unrepentant as she propped her chin on her hand and watched him dust himself off.

"You know sometimes I think you only come to talk to me so you can scare the shit out of me when you... _land."_ Taylor complained, shooting Quinn an accusatory glare. "What _do_ you want, anyway? Are you just here to ogle my lifeguards again?" He asked suspiciously, glancing at his tv screen as it flitted between scenes of various handsome men, who often spent most of their airtime topless; much to Taylors approval.

Quinn's eyes darted to the screen quickly, before returning to Taylor innocently. "No..." She denied, her lips twitching guiltily as Taylor raised a brow at her. "... not just that..." She added, clasping her arms behind her back and biting her lip playfully.

 _"Riiiight..."_ Taylor scoffed, rolling his eyes as he checked the clock on the wall and sighed, stretching as he scratched the back of his head. "So, what do you want then? 'Cause I am gonna be heading out soon." He said, turning to head into his bedroom.

"Oh? But you don't even need to head to work tonight..." Quinn said, frowning and following after Taylor curiously. "How come your not moping more and watching more of your shows?" 

"I do _not_ mope!" Taylor growled, throwing Quinn a scowl over his shoulder and stomping onto his bedroom, grabbing a plain red t shirt from his drawers. "Besides, I'm just... you know what, it doesn't matter. It's none of your busi-"

"Oh my _gosh!"_ Quinn squealed suddenly, darting forward and grabbing Taylor by the shoulders, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she shook him gently. "You have a _date!"_

"I do _not_ have a date." Taylor denied, rolling his eyes at the redhead as she ignored him, drawing back from him to dance gleefully down the hallway. "You're _crazy..._ and _delusional!"_ He called after her, as he snorted to himself. _I said to the Fairie who's granting my wish and keeps popping up in my apartment, while I chat all night with the sexy, invisible friend she made me._ He thought, shaking his head at his own lack of sanity.

"He's going on a date, he's going on a date..." Quinn chanted, twirling through the hall gracefully as she pointed delicate fingers, creating tiny firework explosions without any sound effects.

"I am _not-"_ Taylor began to growl, only to fall silent as his phone began to ring incessantly. "Urgh, shoot me now..." He sighed, shaking his head as he dug out his phone and rolled his eyes, before accepting the call. "What do _you_ want?" He asked flatly, his lips twitching at the outraged gasp on the other end of the line.

"What the hell kind of greeting is that?!" Diego demanded haughtily, as Taylor fought not to laugh. "I call to see how you're doing, because you're my friend and I love you, and I'm greeted with this kind of abuse for-"

"Diego, we spoke all of an hour ago." Taylor interrupted, putting the call on speakerphone so he could swap his current t shirt for the new cleaner one. "Either you forgot to say something really important, or you want something." 

"Since when do I need a reason to call my best friend?!" Diego demanded, continuing on as Taylor rolled his eyes and ignored him. He left the phone on his bed and strolled into his bathroom, splashing his face with some cold water before drying off and finding his favourite aftershave. After applying a small amount, he headed back into the bedroom, where Diego's voice still spilled from his phone. "... honestly, kinda lame, dude. I can't believe you think so little of me th-"

"Hey so, as fun as it is to listen to you ramble, I've actually gotta get going." Taylor interrupted, checking his reflection in his mirror and smoothing down his t shirt.

"... where are you going?" Diego asked uncertainly, after a long moment of stunned silence. Taylor ignored the question in lieu of running a comb through his short red hair, taming the spikes as best he could. "Taylor?"

"Uh..." He hedged, clearing his throat as he considered how to answer. "I'm going to... work." He said slowly, picking up his phone and taking it off speaker.

"No, you're not." Diego rebuffed immediately. "You don't _have_ work tonight." He added, as Taylor scowled at his reflection for a moment, before heading out into the hall. 

"Its overtime." Taylor insisted forcefully, gritting his teeth as he walked through his apartment, drawing his phone away from his ear slightly and covering the mouthpiece as he glared at Quinn. "Hey! Stop that, crazy Fairie!" He scolded in a frustrated whisper.

"I am the greatest Fae alive..!" Quinn continued to sing, blissfully ignoring him as she danced on his ceiling, twirling and gliding around the space flawlessly. "The greatest! The greatest; _alive!"_

"Urgh, thank _god_ your dress stays put, that's all I can say..." Taylor snorted, passing her by as he shook his head and rolled his eyes, deciding the entire world had clearly gone crazy for the evening. 

 _"Taylor!"_ He winced at the loud yell from his phone speaker, grimacing as he sheepishly raised it back to his ear.  "... and _don't_ you try that 'overtime' bullshit with me again, there is no overtime in your work schedule this week!" Diego's furious voice snarked, barely pausing for breath between accusatory barbs.

"Why am I not surprised that you know my work schedule?" Taylor groused petulantly, scowling as he stopped and leaned back against his front door. "You know you could change careers and become a professional stalker, you don't even need to be on the same side of the world apparently."

"Shut up, idjit." Diego said dismissively, as Taylor snorted and rolled his eyes. "You're not working tonight, and you're trying to lie about it to me... Oh my god... _Dude-"_ Diego began, gasping in sudden realisation.

 _"No."_ Taylor said firmly, scowling as his cheeks began to warm from embarrassment, locking his eyes on his feet as if to hide them from his friend.

"Dude, you... Oh my god..! Varyyn! _Varyyn,_ where are you?!" Diego began to excitedly call for his husband, his voice dimming as he moved away from his phone slightly.

Taylor groaned and slowly sank to the floor, burying his face in his knees as his best friend screamed giddily to his husband on the other end of the call. "Urgh, why..? _Why_ is _this_ my life?" He complained, sighing heavily and holding his phone away from his ear for a moment, as Diego actually squealed in delight.

"Dude, dude, oh my god, I'm _so_ happy for you!" He gushed rapidly, barely giving Taylor a chance to breathe, let alone answer. "I am so proud, and so happy for you right now! Dude, why didn't you tell me?! Who is it? Are they good to you? How did you meet? Where are you going? Ooh, are you-"

"Diego! Stop, _jeez!"_ Taylor finally yelped, his expression scandalized as he threw his head back against his front door. "It is _not_ a big deal!" He insisted, scowling as he plucked at his carpet petulantly.

"Not a-!" Diego cried, spluttering with indignant outrage for a moment, before seeming to find his voice again. "Dude! You have a _date!"_ Diego cried, practically hysterical in his obvious relief and joy.

"I do _not_ have a date." Taylor denied vehemently, gritting his teeth and narrowing his eyes as he watched Quinn dance delightedly into his hallway, a small explosion of colour erupting beneath her feet as they touched the ceiling.

"The cutey has a date! I am the greatest Fae alive!" She cheered excitedly, a euphoric grin on her face to counter Taylors broody glare.

"Dude, seriously, how the hell did _you_ get a date?" Diego demanded, his giddy excitement finally ebbing just enough for him to calm himself. "What's his name-?"

"Urgh, for the last time! I do _not_ have a date!" Taylor cried, growling in frustration and running a hand through his hair roughly. "Fine, look... I am going for a drink with a friend-"

 _"Pfft,_ you don't _have_ any friends... besides _me."_ Diego scoffed down the phone, falling silent when Taylor pointedly refused to say anything further. "Okay, fine, you have friends; but none as important as _me!"_ Diego conceded petulantly, as Taylor rolled his eyes. "C'mon, dude... How the hell did someone manage to get _you_ to go on a date with them?!" Diego asked curiously, clearly impatient from the way he seemed to impatiently demand answers. "Oh god, are they _blackmailing_ you?! Are you being forced to sell yourse-"

"Oh my god, _no!"_ Taylor exclaimed, his eyes wide and his cheeks burning with embarrassment. "What the hell is _wrong_ with you?! Why would you even _think_ that?!" He choked, running his hand scratching the back of his neck as he frowned at the still dancing Quinn.

" _Because you don't go on dates_!" Diego cried in reply, matching Taylor in both volume and vehemence. "You literally wash your hair to avoid going out with people!"

"That was _one_ time, Diego!" Taylor growled, scowling at his ceiling as he listened to his friend rapidly fill in his husband on the other end of the call. "Look, I've told you; its _not_ a date. I just, I have to go for a drink with a friend; and as soon as I'm done, I'm gonna come right back home and watch Ben Evans brood, okay?!" He declared heatedly, sighing in relief when his best friend remained blessedly silent for more than three seconds.

"... Why do you have to go?" Diego asked suspiciously, as Taylor bit his lip and rolled his head across his front door slowly. "Wait, what do you mean? Taylor, are you okay? Did someone threaten-"

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Taylor finally burst, his frustration spilling over. "I lost a bet, _okay?!"_ He cried, scowling at the ceiling as he recalled the previous evening. "I lost a bet, and now I have to go out for a drink. Satisfied now, _assbutt?!"_ He demanded, gritting his teeth as he heard Diego's stunned silence begin to give way to stuttering giggles which he was clearly trying and failing to hide.

"Dude..." Diego sniggered gleefully, as Taylor closed his eyes and exhaled heavily through his nose. "This is the best _thing_ ever... tell me everything."

Taylor sighed wearily, opening his eyes again to stare at the ceiling blankly, his thoughts returning to the previous evening and the ridiculous bet he now had to commit to. Despite his frustration, his lips twitched into the barest hint of a smile, and his voice softened as he began to explain. "Fine... but you are not allowed to squeal and gush when I'm finished..." He warned petulantly, before delving into his story.

 _"C'mon,_ Boy Scout..." Jake had whined, pouting at him in frustration as they idly strolled through the toy department, walking backwards so he could meet Taylors amused gaze. "Ya know ya wanna really." 

"Oh, is that so?" Taylor replied fondly, smirking as he watched Jake cockily stroll backwards. "You got that from the whole, 'no chance in hell', thing did you?" He snickered, shaking his head as he looked around the stores and made sure nothing appeared out of place.

"I know ya well enough by now, ya one of those flippers." Jake said, grinning as Taylor began to laugh, looking back at him with obvious amusement. 

 _"Flippers?"_ He laughed, his brows rising on his forehead in surprise. "What the hell am I, some kind of dolphin?" He demanded, trying and failing to contain his laughter. "Should I jump around and clap my fins together?" He asked, sniggering as he waggled his hands before himself playfully.

Jake narrowed his eyes at him, though his lips twitched with the effort not to laugh. "That would be sealions... and ya know damn well that ain't what I meant. I mean ya one of those people who says _one_ thing and means _another."_ He snarked, about to continue in his response when he tripped and stumbled into a trash can. He scowled as Taylor laughed loudly, but his expression softened at the light expression on Taylors face. "Look, fine... I'll make ya a deal, a _bet_ even." He said, as Taylor smirked and raised a brow at him suspiciously, noticing the sudden sly gleam to the other mans gaze as he spotted something ahead of them.

"Why am I _already_ regretting this?" He asked, shaking his head at Jake as the other man smirked victoriously. "Any time you say that, this ball of _dread_ just..." He added, placing a hand to his stomach as he trailed off.

"Shut up, Boy Scout. I ain't got ya in trouble yet." Jake scoffed, jostling Taylors shoulder playfully. "C'mon, what? Ya afraid I'll beat ya again?"

"Pfft, _no."_ Taylor snorted, rolling his eyes as he and Jake proceeded through the final archway of the toy department and into the tech department. "Fine, what do you want now?" He sighed, ducking his head to hide his shy grin.

"Ya _woundin'_ me here, Boy Scout... ya say that like ya think I got some sorta ulterior moti-" Jake broke off, chuckling quietly as Taylor rolled his eyes towards him and raised a knowing brow. "Ah, alright ya got me. Look, I was just gonna say... ya oughta give _that_ a go." He said, pointing to a small display in one of the stores, a microphone connected to a small karaoke machine, with the stores tv monitors encompassing the area to enlarge the singer to the surrounding crowd.

"Oh, no..." Taylor said, shaking his head vehemently as his eyes widened, even trying to step around Jake to put more distance between himself and the display. "No, no, _no..."_ He muttered, as Jake firmly planted himself beside him and refused to let him escape.

"C'mon, Boy Scout. _Scared?"_ He teased with a grin, laughing when Taylor threw him a withering glare. "What's the problem then?" He taunted, waving his brows as he put his hand on Taylors elbow and drew him to a halt.

"I... I'm at work." He hedged, shifting his weight between his feet as he glanced back at the display uneasily. "My... my _uniform!"_ He burst suddenly, gesturing to his unmistakable security uniform.

Jake smirked, shrugging out of his jacket and wrapping it around Taylors shoulders, feeding his arms into the sleeves and zipping it up with a wink. "Ya were sayin'?" He asked smugly, as Taylors face burned with a mixture of embarrassment and shyness.

"It'd be unprofessional." Taylor hedged awkwardly, toying with the zip of the jacket as he discreetly sniffed at the collar, scenting both whiskey and something sweeter in the fabric. "I... I-" he babbled, unable to formulate a valid excuse as his mind turned blank.

"Ya can't think of anythin' else, can ya?" Jake said smugly, a lopsided grin on his face as he watched Taylor flush guiltily. "Look, here's ya deal. If ya give it a go, I'll never try and get ya to sing again... But, if ya get even _one_ person cheer and ask for an encore, then ya gotta come out and have a drink with me tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow is my night off..." Taylor said, blinking at Jake in confusion, as the other man struggled to keep a straight face.

"I'm aware of that, yeah..." He said, his voice strained from the effort not to laugh, as he watched Taylor slowly work out his meaning. "Ah, _there_ we go." He snorted, when Taylors eyes widened in surprise and realisation.

"Y-you mean meet up and... _drink?_ Somewhere else?" He stammered, pinching himself discreetly to make sure he wasn't imagining the entire conversation. "Like, not _here?"_  

"I mean, we can stay here if ya really want... but I would've thought ya'd be up for havin' some fun outside of this place for once." Jake said, grinning knowingly as he spread his palms and affected an innocent stance. "Of course, if ya too _scared_ to just sing a little song, then maybe that'd be too much for ya anyway... 'sides, I bet ya lost ya mojo after all this time. Doubt anyone would actually ask for an encore from some nobody in a store." He sighed, rocking on the balls of his feet as he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets.

"Hey, shut up, Top Gun!" Taylor protested, scowling at Jake's transparent attempt to provoke him despite his best efforts not to. He huffed, as he folded his arms over his chest. "My _mojo_ is just _fine_ thankyou very much!" He snarked, biting his lip as he averted his gaze away from Jake's smug grin.

"I'd have to see that for myself to confirm it, Boy Scout..." He drawled, winking as Taylors cheeks flushed red. "But, I gotta admit. I ain't got no complaints of what I've seen so far..." He added, scratching his chin thoughtfully as Taylor made an odd choking sound in his throat. 

"Oh my god, you're..." Taylor coughed, staring at Jake in disbelief as the other man sniggered at his flustered state. Taylor shook his head and turned towards the display, worrying his lip as he tried to calm his rapidly increasing pulse. "Oh _crap..."_ He groaned, his stomach already cramping with anxiety as he steeled his nerves as best he could and took several deep breaths.

"C'mon, Boy Scout." Jake encouraged him playfully, nudging him forward with his elbow. "Sooner ya get up there the sooner ya can prove ya mojo is ' _just fine_ '." He sniggered, as Taylor flashed him a withering glare.

"You know sometimes I think Quinn did a great job on you..." He muttered, more to himself than to Jake, snorting as he forced himself to take a hesitant step forward. "And then sometimes I think she just hates me, and deliberately made you as annoying as possible." He said scathingly, as Jake laughed and shoved him forward playfully.

"Stop stallin'." Jake insisted, smirking as they walked over to the display. "I wanna start thinkin' of just where we're gonna go drinkin' tomorrow." He said confidently, as Taylor scowled at him.

"You really _suck_ sometimes, Top Gun." He groused, pursing his lips and  forcing himself to keep moving forward despite the growing put of nervous energy building in his gut.

"Hmm, sometimes." Jake agreed thoughtfully, smirking as Taylor choked and stumbled, his cheeks darkening at the other mans easy reply.

Taylor shook his head and forced himself to walk to the stage, ignoring Jake as the other man joined the back of the small crowd before the microphone display. His hands trembled as he reached the stage like area, stepping forward with a heavy sigh when the assistant waved him over. _How does he always manage to get me to do this stupid shit.._? He wondered acerbically, biting his lip as he quickly flicked through the available songs and made his selection. _What's worse... is that I don't even know if I wanna win this dumb bet or not_. He thought, swallowing heavily as he looked out across the small crowd, which was growing as people paused to look on curiously. "Oh boy..." He muttered, wiping his hand across the back of his uniform trousers as his stomach churned with nerves. 

Taylor felt his heart race, his pulse thundering in his ears as he stared out across the expectant faces looking back at him. _It's been forever since I did anything like this._.. He thought, drawing a deep breath and exhaling shakily as he closed his eyes and bounced on his feet briefly. As his selected music began to play in the background, Taylor opened his eyes, his stomach clenching tightly as his heart pounded heavily in his chest.

 _"Take a trip down Candy Cane Lane with me, it's the cutest thing I swear you'll ever see; its the best_..." He began to sing nervously, his palms clammy as he held the microphone stand tightly. " _So get dressed_..." He continued, his eyes darting across the still gathering crowd as his voice trembled slightly, his low tone almost a mere mutter. " _I'll impress..."_ He sang, taking a deep breath quickly as he tried to force back the gnawing pit of nerves, churning in his stomach. " _You with the colours of the rainbow."_

Taylors voice broke slightly, his throat constricting with panic for a heartbeat, before his eyes finally picked out Jake at the back of the crowd, leaning against the store front with a cocky grin. " _Take a trip down Candy Cane Lane with me, it's so magical, lets go there in your dreams; its the best_..." He sang, narrowing his eyes as he felt a spark of irritation flare in his chest, determined wipe the smug expression from the other mans face. " _So get dressed_..." He sang, his voice rising as he continued to gain confidence. " _I'll impress... you with the lights in all their windows_."

Taylor glanced around the crowd, surprised to see some of them tapping along with the beat, with encouraging smiles on their faces as thru whispered to each other quickly. " _Red and yellow and pink and green_ ," Taylor continued, lowering his voice again as he unconsciously began to tap his foot to the beat. " _Orange and purple and blue... Christmas is waiting for you. Christmas is waiting for you_." He sang, pointing to a young girl near the front of the crowd and winking when she cheered him on and clapped happily. " _Red and yellow and pink and green... Orange and purple and blue_." He repeated, a smile breaking out on his face as he felt a distantly familiar warmth blossom in his heart. " _Christmas is waiting for you... Christmas is waiting for you._ "

Taylor bit his lip as he paused briefly to catch his breath, scratching behind his ear and smiling at the crowd shyly as they clapped and cheered encouragingly. " _Candy Cane Lane, bring a friend this holiday! Bring a friend who loves to play, we'll eat all the candy canes_!" He sang brightly, holding himself slightly taller as he leaned closer to the microphone. He felt his heart radiate with warmth, his voice drifting over the crowd as his nerves settled, allowing him to focus on the now slightly less terrifying experience of his singing. " _Oh, Candy Cane Lane, bring a friend this holiday! Bring a friend who loves to play, we'll eat all the candy canes_!"

Taylors heart skipped a beat, his long forgotten passion reogniting as he gazed out across the smiling faces before him. _"Candy Caaaaanes..."_ He crooned, his breath catching in his throat as his eyes stung with the threat of tears, recalling just how much he'd once enjoyed performing. " _We'll eat_ _Candy Caaaaanes..."_ He sang, forcefully pushing aside his tumultuous emotions as best he could.

As Taylor collected himself for the second verse, he couldn't help but beam at the crowd, his hips beginning to sway gently as they smiled and clapped to the beat. " _Take a trip down Candy Cane Lane with me, I'll call Rudolph down to meet us in the street; we can dance_..." He sang, pausing to smirk mischievously. _"He can prance_..." He drawled, winking into the crowd playfully. " _There's no cant's... 'cause here everything is possible_." He sang, shaking his head quickly and taking a small step to the side as his shoulders finally began to relax, his stomach flipping with a rush of excitement for the first time, as opposed to nerves. " _Take a trip down Candy Cane Lane with me, let's get Santa out and get him on his feet; we can dance_..." He sang, rolling his hips lazily. " _Holding hands_..." He crooned, grinning as he raised a shoulder playfully and tossed the crowd a sultry look. " _Ain't no cant's... 'cause here everything is possible_."

Taylor threw out his hand to one side, rocking his hips side to side playfully to the beat. _"Red and yellow and pink and green... Orange and purple and blue_." He drawled lowly, slowly drawing his free arm back in and curling it up over his shoulder. " _Christmas is waiting for you... Christmas is waiting for you."_ He sang, glancing to the back of the crowd again and throwing Jake a cocky smirk which only served to amuse the other man further. " _Red and yellow and pink and green... Orange and purple and blue_." He hummed, raising his arm behind his neck slowly as Jake raised a brow and purposely exaggerated a slow wink. " _Christmas is waiting for you... Christmas is waiting for you."_

Taylor felt a long distant thrill returning to his heart, an easy smile forming on his lips as he sucked in a deep and calming breath. " _Candy Cane Lane, bring a friend this holiday! Bring a friend who loves to play, we'll eat all the candy canes!_ " He sang loudly, swaying from side to side as he pressed his hand to his chest, as of trying to contain the warmth radiating from within. " _Oh, Candy Cane Lane, bring a friend this holiday! Bring a friend who loves to play, we'll eat all the candy canes_!" He repeated, smiling brightly when the young girl near the front giggled and clapped enthusiastically. _"Candy Caaaaanes_..." He drawled, weaving his hips as he stepped from side to side to the beat. "We'll eat _Candy Caaaaanes..."_ He concluded, drawing his hands to his hips and shuffling across the display area to the music as the final notes from the song played, laughing when the young girl near the front squealed happily.

Taylor huffed with mild amusement and exhaustion, a bright smile fixed to his face as he gave a playful bow and waved as he moved away from the stage like area. He unzipped Jake's jacket, flushing with the warmth of his excitement and pride as he strolled back to Jake with a smirk, only to pause at a small tug on his sleeve. "Huh?" He hummed, turning to see the young girl holding Jake's jacket and nervously shifting her weight.

"Um..." She hummed awkwardly, blushing deeply as she bit her lip and glanced back to her parents, who were trying to hide their proud smiles behind their hands as they watched her. "E-excuse me... but could you go again?" She mumbled shyly, hiding her red face by looking  down at the floor. "You sounded really pretty..."

Taylor blinked in surprise, looking back at Jake indecisively as the other man smirked knowingly. He sighed quietly, turning back to the girl with a small smile. "I guess it would be mean of me to say not to someone who was so sweet to me." He said, ignoring Jake as he backed with laughter and following the girl back to the small stage. "... Thanks." He said shyly, as he stepped back up to the microphone; and though his words were directed to the young girl and the crowd before him, his eyes had found and had then never left Jake's.

"Oh... my... _god..."_ Diego sighed down the phone, snapping Taylor from his memory with a start, realising he'd trailed off some home before. "Dude, this is like... the best thing ever. This guy got you to _sing!_ And _socialise!_ And you have a _date_ with him!" He crowed excitedly, as Taylor rolled his eyes, and tried to fight away his grin.

"It is _not_ a date." He repeated, though the nervous churn of his stomach vehemently disagreed with his statement. "Its just... me holding up my end of a bet. Which happened to be win, win for the other-"

"My best friend has a goddamn _date!"_ Diego exploded down the line, as Taylor sighed and held his phone away from his ear for a moment. "What's he like? Is he hot? He's _gotta_ be hot... Oh my _god,_ why didn't you tell me about him before?!"

"Are you kidding?" Taylor scoffed, rolling his eyes as he smirked and toyed with the small cord bracelet he wore. "Do you even _hear_ yourself right now? Besides which there's nothing to tell. We're _friends;_ nothing more. This is _not_ a date. Okay?" He said firmly, scowling when Diego blatantly ignored him and spoke excitedly with Varyyn on the other end of the call. With a sigh he pulled his phone away and checked the time, quickly pushing to his feet. "Oh gosh, look at the time! I gotta go, and I'm sure you have stuff to do. Talk later Diego, _byyyeee!"_ He said quickly, ending the call while Diego was still spluttering indignantly.

Taylor sighed heavily, shaking his head as he held his phone for a moment and collected his thoughts. _This is not a date_. He told himself firmly, ignoring the nervous butterflies dancing in his gut. He glanced at Quinn, as she floated closer and beamed at him. _What would the rules even be on 'dating' your imaginary friend?_ He wondered briefly, before clearing his throat and turning away from the Fairie, hiding his blush by stepping into his shoes. It is not a date!

"Have fun on your date, cutey!" Quinn giggled happily, as she began to glitter and sparkle, preparing to return to the top of his Christmas tree. "Don't hold back! And I wanna hear _all_ about it tomorrow!" She cheered, as Taylor rolled his eyes, turning to remind her that he was absolutely not going on a date, only to find her already disappearing.

 _"Urgh..._ I need new friends." He groused, grabbing his keys and heading out to meet Jake at their familiar spot in the shopping centre. 

His fingers tapped against his hip, drumming nervously as he walked and tried to think through the various thoughts and feelings in his heart and his head. _I really shouldn't get so attached to Jake. I mean, at some point_... He thought, his fingers twitching as grief pricked at his heart. _At some point he's gonna, well, not leave exactly but, Quinn's hardly gonna let me keep him once this whole thing is over with... And there's really no telling how long it will be before its even decided if this stupid, whatever it is, is a success... or a failure_. He considered, sighing as he turned his face to the darkening sky contemplatively. _I should probably tell Quinn I like Jake a little more than I'm supposed to. I'm not even looking to meet anyone! Instead I'm heading out with my imaginary friend on a da-_   Taylor grit his teeth, his hands balling at his sides and his heart thudding loudly in his chest, as he firmly shook his head and forced his thoughts aside. _Maybe I should talk to her tomorrow_. He thought sullenly, exhaling heavily as he paused outside the shopping centre, wiping his clammy hands on the back of his jeans.

"Ya look like ya about to get _shot."_ Jake's amused voice made him yelp and spin around quickly, his eyes wide and accusatory as they landed upon the other man, crossing the road behind him. Taylors mouth dried at the smart shirt and waistcoat, though the effect was somewhat dampened by Jake's familiar, if slightly scruffy jacket. "It really so bad, havin' to let me buy ya a drink? If I'm keepin' ya from somethin', ya only had to say-"

"No, no..." Taylor said quickly, frowning briefly as he tried to shake off his melancholy. "Sorry, I just... I'm just not used to..." He said, gesturing vaguely as he tried to find the words to express his tumultuous emotions, without actually revealing them. "Sorry." He muttered, lowering his eyes and biting his lip shyly.

"If ya really didn't wanna go out ya only had to say, Boy Scout..." Jake said, frowning as he eyed Taylors uncomfortable fidgeting. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders, biting his lip in uncharacteristic shyness as he seemed to consider briefly. "Look, let's just leave it, okay? I'll catch up with ya tomorrow night anyway, and-"

"No, wait..." Taylor protested, his throat constricting at the sight of the other man half turning to leave again. He wished he were more surprised that he didn't want Jake to leave yet, but found he was too preoccupied with trying to convince the other man to stay. "I, uh... I'm not good with people." He said hesitantly, worrying his lip as he peeked at Jake from beneath his lashes, his cheeks slowly beginning fo burn. "I mean, I'm just not into the whole... sitting around a bunch of strangers and having them leer and hit on me." He muttered, averting his eyes in embarrassment.

"Hmm, ya got a point I guess." Jake hummed, scratching behind his ear thoughtfully as Taylor glanced over in surprise. "I mean, it ain't exactly gonna be a good night for ya if I'm constantly smackin' people in the face for makin' ya uncomfortable..."

Taylor snorted, shaking his head as he felt the tension leave his body. "My hero." He snickered, tipping his head as he sucked in a deep breath. "C'mon, Top Gun, lead the way... else I'm gonna chicken out again, bet or no bet." He huffed, as Jake flashed him a brief, lopsided grin.

"Alright, Boy Scout..." Jake replied, reaching over and taking Taylors hand unthinkingly, not noticing Taylors surprised stammering or fiercely burning face. "C'mon, there's a little place nearby... I scouted." He said with a flash of his familiar cocky grin, gently tugging Taylor away from the shopping centre to a small pub which he occasionally visited with Diego and Varyyn.

Jake led Taylor through the door into a quiet and dimly lit bar, immediately chuckling as he pointed to a pool table in the back room. "Why don't ya go set 'em up for us?" Jake asked, his cerulean eyes lit with smug excitement as he turned back to Taylor, looking down in mild surprise to see their hands linked together. He coughed and pulled his hand free, and Taylor frowned to himself as he found himself immediately missing the other mans touch. "Uh, what's ya poison?" Jake asked, his stubblef cheeks darkening slightly as he stuffed his hands back into his jacket pockets.

"Um... I'm fine with whatever you're having." Taylor mumbled, scratching his arm as he stepped toward the pool table, before frowning and turning back. "Wait, do you want _me_ to get the drinks? I mean, can you even..." He asked awkwardly, gesturing to the bartenders turned back vaguely.

"Shut up and go rack 'em up, Boy Scout." Jake snorted, rolling his eyes as he stepped up to the bar. "I'm sure I can work a little _magic,_ here." He said sarcastically, winking at Taylor suggestively and causing him to laugh and shake his head. 

 _Well, what else is magic for anyway_..? He wondered, walking over to the pool table and following Jake's instructions to set up a game for them. _If nothing else, it'll save my wallet_. He snorted at the thought, grabbing himself a cue and chalking it slowly as he eyed the table thoughtfully.

By the time Jake strolled over with their drinks, Taylor was confident in his abilities to beat him; and determined to let himself enjoy his evening, even if he had to confess to Quinn the following morning that his date had been with the imaginary friend she'd created for him. He smiled and tipped back his drink, laughing behind his hand when Jake raised his brows at him in surprise. "I think I just felt my wallet shrivel in horror..." He said, his amusement clear as a slow grin spread across his face. _"Damn,_ Boy Scout... Ya on a mission to bankrupt me, or are ya just that in need of some dutch courage to be out with me?" He asked, laughing when Taylor rolled his eyes at him. "If ya tryin' to start a drinkin' game against me though, I oughta warn ya; I am _more_ than a match for whatever ya throw at me..." He said, tipping his glass in playful salute, before knocking his own drink back, his eyes locked onto Taylors.

"Hmm." Taylor hummed, walking around Jake and strolling along the pool table to line up his first shot. "Maybe, I'm just trying to give you a fighting chance to win this pool game..." He said innocently, smirking up at Jake coyly as he struck the cue ball and sunk three balls from the break. 

"Heh, that's fightin' talk..." Jake grinned, setting his glass down and grabbing a cue, as Taylor made a second shot but failed to sink anything further. "I'm gonna enjoy makin' ya eat those words, Boy Scout." He promised, lining up his shot as Taylor casually sauntered up behind him, leaning close over his back in a surprising burst of confidence which Taylor blamed entirely upon the alcohol.

"You can _try..."_ He murmured against Jake's ear, causing him to shiver and glance back at the wrong moment, sending the cue ball straight into the pocket without touching another ball. Taylor smirked, moving to take his next shot as Jake broke out in a slow and awed grin.

"Ya play _dirty,_ Boy Scout..." He said slowly, watching Taylor sink another two balls, before missing a third. "I'm gonna _enjoy_ this." He repeated, chuckling as he moved over to Taylor and nudged him aside to take his own shot.

"Eat ya heart out." Taylor snickered, biting his lip when Jake glanced over, running his eyes over him in such a slow and deliberate motion which made Taylors heart begin to race. 

"I'll sure as hell _try."_ He replied, causing Taylors cheeks to flush pink when he met his gaze for a heartbeat too long to be quite innocent. Taylor cleared his throat and averted his gaze at last, his heart pounding loudly in his ears as Jake finally made his shot and sank a single ball, before missing another.

 _A little flirting isn't gonna hurt anyone... I mean, this is all to get me to love again. Can't get there if I don't practice my flirting; and that's exactly what Jake is even for_... Taylor thought in a rush, sinking the last of his balls as he moved around the table, lost among his own thoughts. _But... I'm not sure how my feelings are supposed to factor in. I'm pretty sure Quinn wouldn't be happy to know I feel so strongly about my practice partner._ He hummed distantly as he sank the black ball, blinking as Jake's rowdy protest drew him from his thoughts.

"Beginners luck!" Jake insisted, jabbing his fist to Taylors shoulder playfully. "Best two outta three, Boy Scout. Whaddaya say?" He demanded, narrowing his eyes as Taylor broke out in a soft grin.

"Sure thing, Top Gun." He replied, shaking aside his uncertainty and reminding himself to relax and let the night play itself out. "... I should've known you'd be a sore loser." He snickered, his grin growing as Jake pouted at him. "You break this time... Looks like you need all the advantages you can get." He added playfully, laughing when Jake scoffed and turned away to reset the table.

"Fine, that leaves _you_ on drink duty." Jake said haughtily, snorting as Taylor strut away and ordered them both refills. By the time he returned, Jake had reset the game and was just preparing to break. At Taylors approach, he struck the cue ball and sank two balls. "Cheers." He said, taking a tumbler from Taylor and clinking them together softly.

"What are we drinking to?" Taylor asked, raising a dubious brow as Jake knocked back his drink.

"Your soul crushing defeat, _obviously."_ Jake snorted, setting his glass down and turning towards him again, as Taylor laughed fondly and moved to line up his shot. "I mean, ya can drink to my handsomeness if ya really want..." He said, smirking as Taylor snorted and flunked his shot.

"Wow, and they say romance is dead." He said dryly, drinking his drink only slightly slower than the first. "Are you planning to distract me every turn, Top Gun?" He asked curiously, smirking at the cocky wink Jake threw him.

"All's fair in love and pool-war, Boy Scout." Jake snickered, chuckling as he sank another four balls consecutively. "Maybe I just took a lesson from the best." He said, grinning as he stood to allow Taylor his turn.

"Well in _that_ case..." Taylor said, laughing quietly as he sank two balls and missed a third. "May the best tease win." He snickered, glancing over his shoulder at Jake and smirking at the way his head was cocked, his eyes rising guiltily from his ass. 

Jake swallowed thickly, shaking his head as he stepped up to take Taylors place by the table, glancing sideways at him. "... I think ya _way_ ahead of me there, Boy Scout..." He said, his voice slightly strained as Taylor maintained an innocent expression. A short while later, Jake finally sank the black ball and concluded the second game with a small victory cry. "Right. Rack 'em, Boy Scout." Jake ordered roughly, his hand clapping Taylors shoulder as he brushed past him. "I'm gonna get us another round in; then I'm gonna kick ya ass and put ya back in ya place with this decider game..." 

"Sure ya are." Taylor drawled, smirking knowingly as he watched Jake stroll determinedly towards the bar. "Well, you're a sucker for punishment, if nothing else, Top Gun." He snorted, laughing as he reset the balls and chalked his cue. He bit his lip and waited for the other man to return, unable to entirely hide his small grin as he considered his evening thus far.

"Hey, wanna play?" A voice leered over his shoulder, startling Taylor and causing him to spin rapidly to find a large and muscular man eyeing him with a smirk. "I could use a little fun."

Taylor rolled his eyes, turning away as he shook his head disinterestedly. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm just waiting for my... my friend." He said, moving to step away when a hand settled on his wrist, stale breath drifting past his cheek as the man leaned close to him.

"So blow 'em off..." He sneered suggestively, crowding Taylor against the pool table as he scowled and tried to yank his wrist away. "Or better yet, blow _me._ I am more than ready for a piece of-"

"Well _, I_ am more than ready for you to get the hell off of me." Taylor sneered, finally pulling his wrist free and glaring over his shoulder. "Trust me when I say there is _no_ chance in hell, of _anything_ you just suggested." He said haughtily, his heart quickening when he found himself caged in, unable to break free of the large mans bulking muscles.

"I like that you're playing hard to get... most guys just roll over for me." The other man insisted, and Taylor grimaced as he slid a finger along his jaw.

"Touch me again creep, and I'm gonna have to stop asking nicely." He said firmly, jerking his head away from the other mans touch. "Leave me the _hell_ alone..." He said, his heart clenching with the first hint of panic, as the other man ignored him and instead pressed closer to his back. "Before my... my _b-boyfriend_ gets back." He said, hesitating briefly as he forced the words out, desperately trying to squirm away from the larger man.

"Ha, oh sweetheart, you don't have to make up friends or boyfriends..." The other man leered, leaning against Taylors back to speak unto his ear, causing Taylors panic to swell as the mans larger frame pinned him against the pool table. "I can be everything you need-"

"What I _need_ is for you to get the _hell_ away from me!" Taylor demanded loudly, scowling and viciously trying to shove the other man back, but unable to move his hulking weight from his back. "God, what it is with creepers like you and not taking no for an answer?!" He demanded irritably, gritting his teeth as he glanced up to catch Jake approaching with a sharp, calculating gaze and a fresh tumbler of whiskey in each hand. _"Jake!"_ He called, relieved to see the other man returning, as he recalled what Quinn had explained to him about bringing attention to Jake, so other people could notice him.

"Honestly, Boy Scout, I leave ya alone for two minutes and ya pickin' up other peoples _trash."_ Jake drawled, feigning a forlorn sigh as he set their drinks down upon a table. "As for you," he added, turning his attention to the other man, who was turning away from Taylor in surprise. "Normally I'd already have swung for ya, but I'm tryin' to make a good impression here, so I'm gonna ask nicely. _Once."_ He explained slowly, stepping up beside them as Taylor finally managed to squirm his way free. "Get the hell outta here."

"Jake..." Taylor sighed in relief, stepping up beside him. "C'mon, lets just _go..."_ Taylor murmured quietly, shivering in discomfort as he grabbed his friends jacket sleeve without thinking. "Its really _not_ worth it."

"Ooh, sorry there, _Jakey Wakey._.." The unknown man sniggered, eyeing Jake with an obvious sneer. "Your uh, _boyfriend_ here, looked lonely. I was offering him a good time, loosen him up a bit for you."

"Jake... Jake _don't._ Let's go." Taylor warned, his eyes darting around the pub nervously as Jake tensed, his clear eyes narrowing at the stranger briefly, before flitting to Taylor, who pleaded with his entire body for them to simply leave.

"Looks like its ya lucky day, asshole." He sighed, clenching his hands tightly and gritting his teeth, before trying to offer Taylor a reassuring smile. "My uh, _better half_ here is a soft touch. Never lets be beat the crap outta anyone anymore... no matter how much they deserve it." He added, flashing Taylor a brief, fond grin despite the situation.

Taylor felt his cheeks warm, his heart skipping a best as he ducked his head, tugging at Jake's sleeve to try and steer him away from the antagonising man. _"Thankyou,_ Top Gun..." He said quietly, relieved his imaginary friend was listening to him. "I'll make it up to you sometime... I'll even sing-"

"Ha, I _bet_ you will." The unknown man sneered after them, as Jake slowed and stiffened, his fists clenching tightly as he glared straight ahead of them. "You're missing out, sweetheart. I could've made you sing _way_ better than your little-" his next words were drowned out as Jake wheeled, his fist connecting with a hard, sickening crack to the other mans jaw and driving him back a few paces.

"I ain't usually one for goin' back on my word," Jake said apologetically, shaking his hand out as he turned back to a stunned Taylor, scratching his ear sheepishly. "But... well, that guy just really _pissed me off_."

Taylor stared in disbelief for a moment, before blinking suddenly and drawing in a sharp breath, his gaze shifting over Jake's shoulder. " _Look out_!" He cried, shoving Jake's shoulder and pushing him out of the path of the other mans retaliating swing, the blow instead glancing across the corner of his own jaw. _"Oof!"_ He huffed, his hand rubbing the offended spot just below his ear, as he leaned on the pool table.

"Hey, ya wanna throw cheap shots, ya goddamn _bastard,_ work on ya aim!" Jake growled, dodging around the other man and drawing his attention away from Taylor as he recovered his wits. He shook his head, turning to watch Jake make calculated blows against the other man, while easily deflecting or dodging those which were aimed towards him.

Taylors eyes widened, as he noticed two other men approaching quickly from the bar, drawn by the tussle and clearly intent on helping the other man, whom Taylor assumed must be their friend. "Uh, Jake..?" He called uncertainly, moving to help until Jake growled at him.

"Stay outta the way, Taylor!" He called, his sharp gaze darting to the two newcomers as he scowled. "Last thing I need is-" his words were silenced abruptly, one of the newcomers landing a lucky hit on his jaw and forcing him to move a step back to counter his shift in balance. "Heh... that all ya _got,_ Tough Guy?" Jake sneered, before launching himself back into the fray.

Taylor grimaced and reluctantly threw himself into the fight, dodging and weaving attacks as best he could and keeping his back to Jake's so they couldn't be blindsided. "You _sure_ know how to show a guy a good time, Top Gun." Taylor drawled over his shoulder, as Jake laughed and deflected his attackers punch into the shoulder of his own newly arrived friend.

"What can I say, Boy Scout?" He huffed back, as he caught another hit to the jaw. " _I'm one of a kind_!" He growled, and despite their situation, Taylor couldn't help but laugh dryly.

It was only a few minutes later, though it felt like a lifetime, when new voices joined the kafuffle and Taylor started when a large body suddenly stepped between him and his attacker. "Taylor, bro, you got some serious skills; but why don't you get outta here now and let _us_ have some fun?" Craig huffed, sounding amused as he caught an incoming fist in one beefy hand.

"What the _hell_ are _you_ doing here?!" Taylor yelped, his eyes widening as Craig and Raj diverted the attackers attention from Taylor, allowing him a moment to pant for breath.

"We were drinking, little dude, minding our own business..." Raj explained, smiling at Taylor as he restrained the third man easily. "But Zahra insisted that where there's a fight..."

"There's asses to be kicked!" Craig cheered over Raj, who merely rolled his eyes at the interruption and didn't bother to explain any further. "My girl knows how to _party!"_ He crowed, laughing as he traded blows with the other man.

Taylor huffed in amusement, smiling as he saw Zahra tuck around the third man, drawing their attention away from himself and Jake as she evaded his jabs with obvious ease. "Uh, thanks..." He said awkwardly, as he watched her land a rib cracking blow on the guys side which made him wince himself.

"Don't mention it." She drawled, scowling at him as she flipped her Mohawk from her face. "Like, _ever._ Just get going. We got these losers."

Taylor nodded, his eyes darting over to Jake, who was nursing his jaw and clearly about to jump back into the fight. He hurried over and grabbed his hand, surprising him as he tugged insistently and pulled him from the pub. "Don't argue." He said quickly, dragging Jake down the road and hurrying along the familiar path to his apartment, his heart pounding in his ears as he focused only on putting as much space between himself and the men who'd attacked them.

"Boy Scout, where-" Jake began, only to fall silent at the sharp glare Taylor cast him. He jogged along a step behind him instead, following obediently as his hand remained snugly captured within Taylors own.

Taylor didn't let up the pace until he'd led Jake into his apartment building, leading him up the stairs and opening his door quickly before tugging him inside. He pulled him to his couch, and shoved his chest gently to make him sit, stalking into the kitchen silently as he bustled about quickly. He grabbed two tumblers, a bottle of scotch he'd had for three years and had never opened, a dishcloth and a bag of ice from his freezer; which he emptied into a bowl, before returning to the living room and sitting on the coffee table before Jake. "... _sorry."_ He said quietly, his voice trembling as he shakily poured a generous splash into each tumbler and offered one to Jake. "I-"

"Why the hell're ya sayin' sorry?" Jake asked, frowning and taking the offered glass, immediately setting it aside to reach for Taylors noticeably trembling hands. "None of that was _your_ fault, ya know?"

Taylor quickly moved his hands out of Jake's reach, shaking his head as he swallowed heavily, unable to give voice to his thoughts or feelings quite yet. He tossed back his own whiskey, clearing his throat as he reached for the dishcloth and filled it with ice from the bowl. "Hold still." He said roughly, tentatively pressing the dishcloth of ice up to Jake's jaw. "Sorry." He murmured again at Jake's wince, biting his lip as he chuckled quietly. "Is this even gonna do anything for you..?" He asked, gently tending to the slowly bruising area.

"I've had worse, with less treatment." Jake said quietly, frowning as his clear eyes searched Taylors face, though Taylor refused to meet his gaze. Jake's hand rose slowly, settling over Taylors cautiously. "Ya don't have to-"

"My brother used to fight alot." Taylor blurted suddenly, pausing and swallowing heavily, before his words babbled free without his permission once more. "We rough housed as kids sure, but as he got older... he got a real mean temper. The simplest things would set him off." He said, his eyes distant as he locked them onto Jake's injured jaw beneath his makeshift ice pack. "... I used to try and fix him up whenever he came home scraped to hell. Tried to make sure our parents never saw the state he was in."

"... That must've been tough." Jake said slowly, frowning as he watched Taylor intently, sensing he needed to vent whatever was bothering him. "Ya ain't mentioned him much..."

"He wouldn't ever talk about it." Taylor said, ignoring Jake's gentle prodding and instead sniffing as he shakily poured himself another drink with his free hand. "In the end I just stopped asking... but it still hurt, seeing him like that." He said, hissing as the whiskey coursed down his throat. "... I have no idea if he's still such a hothead. But, it all just made me... remember." He muttered quietly, blinking rapidly as his vision began to blur.

"Hey, its alright... This ain't ya fault." Jake said, scooting forward slightly on Taylors couch and parting his legs around Taylors knees. "What-"

"I'm sorry." He said abruptly, silently cursing himself as he felt a few tears escape him. "I should've been able to get that creep off of me. He just, he took me by surprise... and now you're _hurt."_ He said, his voice breaking as he choked back his rushing emotions. "I mean, I don't know how things work in this situation exactly, but-"

 _"Taylor."_ Jake said firmly, cupping his cheeks and forcing Taylor to jerk his eyes up in surprise, his deep blue eyes locking onto Jake's clear gaze. "Ya can't always be one step ahead of jerks like that..." He said gently, sweeping his thumb softly across Taylors cheek and wiping aside his tears. "And I sure as hell ain't complainin', I mean... I got to defend my _better half's_ honour." He added playfully, startling a quiet laugh from Taylor.

"God, _don't..._ It was the first thing I thought of to try and get him off me." Taylor said, blushing as his constricted heart finally began beating easier and a tiny smile graced his lips. He pulled the dishcloth of ice away from Jake's jaw, checking the bruise as he exchanged the old ice for fresher pieces. His cheeks burned with embarrassment, and he ducked his head slightly to try and hide the blush.

"Like I said, I ain't complainin'." Jake repeated, smirking knowingly as Taylor replaced the dishcloth to his jaw. " _Definitely_ a worthwhile trade." He added, laughing quietly when Taylor glanced up at him, his cheeks darkening even further. "Hold still..." He said suddenly, grabbing two cubes of ice and moving them to the small bruise at the edge of Taylors jaw, beneath his ear.

 _"Ah..!"_ Taylor hissed in surprise, wincing as the cold ice connected with the sore area. He chuckled in amusement, forcing himself not to shake his head as he smiled wryly. "What a pair, huh?" He snorted quietly, biting his lip as he peeked up at Jake.

 _"Mmm."_ Jake hummed in agreement, his eyes sweeping over Taylors flushed face. Taylor felt his heart stutter, his breath catching in his throat as Jake slowly leaned closer, his lips skimming over Taylors softly. "Ya got _no_ idea how hard its been... _not_ to do that." He murmured softly, pulling back only by a mere hairs breath.

"When?" Taylor asked, frowning slightly as he bit his lip, desperately trying to ignore the way his body was reacting to Jake's warmth in such close proximity.

"Whenever I see ya." Jake replied simply, his fingers dropping the ice to the coffee table with a clatter, as he cupped his hand to Taylors cheek instead, and drew him closer again. Taylor hummed at the gentle pressure of Jake's lips against his own, his eyes fluttering closed as his heart rose into his throat. His free hand gripped Jake's jacket sleeve tightly, as the sound of rushing blood, pounded loudly in his ears.

"Hnn..." He moaned quietly, his lips parting as Jake's free hand curled around the back of his neck. He hummed in sudden realisation, pulling back abruptly to search Jake's face with alarm. _"Wait..._ What does this..? I mean, what about-" he trailed off as Jake smirked, his thumb causing Taylor to shiver as he gently dragged it across the nape of Taylors neck.

"I don't care." Jake said lightly, gazing at Taylor with such intensity that he felt his already racing heart quickening even further. "It ain't been about the uh, _job..._ ever since I met ya, truth be told." He said, his eyes dipping to Taylors lips again, his body shifting as if he wanted to move closer again, but held himself back for Taylors permission.

"But what'll..?" Taylor wondered aloud briefly, falling silent as he bit his lip hesitantly. He shivered again, gazing at Jake longingly as the other mans thumb continued to rub soothingly at the base of his neck. _Well... This while thing was to get me to open my heart and learn to love again, I guess_... He thought, as a bubble of desire rose in his chest. As the bubble burst and suffused Taylor with longing, he surged forward and kissed Jake hard, inhaling a deep breath through his nose as Jake hummed in pleasant surprise and drew him closer. "Jake..." He breathed against his lips, his own parting to allow Jake's tongue to probe against his own, as Taylors hands cupped his jaw with a gentleness which greatly contrasted his eager kisses. 

Taylor felt his heart pause for a fraction of a second, then resume its heavy pounding. His mouth moved hungrily against Jake's, finally conveying all of the pent up frustrations between them as he caressed Jake's jaw, but slowly allowed his hands to glide over Jake's throat to grip at his shoulders. Jake broke away, just long enough to slip his hands around Taylors waist and collect him into his lap, settling him back against the couch as Taylor straddled his lap and resumed the kiss with almost startling greed.

"Hmm..." The breath of a moan escaped Taylor, as Jake's hands slipped beneath his t-shirt and caressed his bare back. Heat snaked through his body to settle where their jeans met, and Taylor was almost embarrassed to find himself rubbing against Jake like a cat begging for attention; except the deep, quiet sounds of pleasure Jake made in response were far too encouraging.

Jake's hungry lips broke free of Taylors, leaving a trail of heat along his neck as he arched and tipped his head back to allow him more room, hissing and threading one hand into Jake's hair as the other mans teeth grazed his collarbone teasingly. "Jake..." He murmured, as the other mans hands dragged slowly up his back, squeezing his shoulders as Jake leaned forward abruptly and raised his eyes to meet Taylors. His hands encouraged Taylor to raise his arms over his head, his clear eyes blazing with a desire so deep it nearly made Taylor dizzy. Almost instantly, Jake whipped Taylors top over his head and tossed it aside, settling back against the couch as his hands again circled Taylors back and his lips returned eagerly to Taylors throat.

When Jake's hand drifted to his lower back, exploring his skin with soft fingertips, Taylors tipped his head back with a gasp, shivering with desire and excitement. The motion however, drew his gaze Quinn; sat motionless and miniaturized at the top of his tree, and he knew they shouldn't continue. "Jake..." He murmured, trying to draw back, only for Jake to groan in protest and squeeze his bare back gently, determinedly holding him in place as he gently bit the junction at the base of his neck. _"Oh..."_ He sighed, his protests forgotten and his hands clutching at Jake's jacket lapels, as his body gyrated against the other man, whimpering as he bit his lip; when not even the heavy denim of his jeans could hide the other mans arousal.

"Ya feel what ya do to me, Boy Scout?" Jake groaned, his hips rocking upwards to emphasize his point, grinding himself against Taylor as he pressed himself back against the other man.

"... _Yes."_ He admitted breathlessly, struggling to ignore the delicious feelings rapidly spreading through his body, turning his rational thoughts against him by twisting them with want and longing.

Jake lifted his face from Taylors throat, panting lightly as a hand smoothed over Taylors hip, encouraging him to rock against him again. "Ya tremblin'..." He said softly, his other hand rising to gently sweep across Taylors jaw.

"I know..." Taylor huffed, biting his lips as his mouth turned dry and looking down to meet Jake's intense gaze. "I'm cold." He said quickly, his lips twitching with faint amusement despite the heady haze of lust fogging his brain. "Someone threw my shirt across the apartme-"

 _"Liar."_ Jake growled quietly, his hips rising to meet Taylors movements slowly. "Ya on fire." He said knowingly, and Taylor hummed guiltily as he gnawed his lip harder, trying to contain his grin. He could feel the heat of Jake against him, even through the layers of fabric which separated them.

 _Oh god, screw anybody else.._. Taylor thought, his breath catching as realisation struck him hard, his chest tightening dangerously with a long distant but vaguely familiar warmth. _I want **him**_ **.** He gripped Jake's jacket tightly, as he leaned closer to brush his lips against Jake's mouth, before the other man groaned and again trailed along his throat.

"Ya _killin'_ me here, Taylor..." Jake complained roughly, as Taylors hands crept beneath his jacket, his fingers tentatively exploring the warm expanse of cotton. Jake's hands slid to Taylors ass and caressed him, causing Taylor to gasp and arch against him as Jake pulled him even closer against his lap. "... Ya got three choices I can see, Boy Scout." Jake mumbled against his throat, as Taylor drew in a shuddering breath and tried to clear his mind of the fire which coursed through him, making coherent thought near impossible.

 _"Mmm?"_ He hummed in vague response, his body awash with long forgotten pleasure and arousal. He shifted his position slightly and hissed when Jake's hips snapped up, driving his heavy arousal to his ass where heat was pooling with increasing urgency.

"One, ya tell me to stop; and I go... before I lose all self control." Jake explained gruffly, though his hands tightened on Taylors ass to show his displeasure of the suggestion. Taylor made a sound of distress before he could stop himself, gasping as Jake's teeth  closed around his exposed nipple briefly. "Option two; I fuck ya right here in ya livin' room." Jake said, as Taylor sucked in a sharp breath, undeniable turned on by the idea but unable to answer as Jake quickly continued. "Standin' up, on ya floor, or couch; wherever, I don't care. But it'll be hard and fast, 'cause ya drivin' me _crazy..."_  

Taylor groaned at the erotic image which came to mind, panting as his fingers curled into Jake's shirt, desperately clutching at the fabric as if it might prevent him from falling off Jake's lap; though there was little chance of such a thing, with Jake's ever tightening grip on his ass. "And, uh... option three?" He panted, whimpering as Jake lifted his face from Taylors throat to gaze at him intently. 

Jake didn't smile, his expression utterly serious as one of his hands finally moved from Taylors ass, caressing his back as it slid slowly up to cup the back of his neck. "Option three..." He drawled, his clear eyes watching Taylor acutely for every slightest reaction to his words. "We take it slow." He said, his fingers softly sweeping over the soft hairs at the nape of Taylors neck. "We go to ya bedroom, and I make love to ya with my lips..." He said, squeezing the back of Taylors neck as he gently urged him closer for the lightest brush of a kiss against his lips. "My hands..." He whispered, squeezing his other hand over Taylors ass and watching as Taylors lips parted with the soft breath of a gasp. "My _tongue..."_ Jake breathed, only to groan as Taylor whined and rocked hard against his hips.

"Jake..." He pleaded, gazing deep into his cerulean eyes, uncertain what he even wanted, let alone how to express it. Jake drew in a deep breath, his hands squeezing Taylor before gently easing him off his lap and reluctantly pushing to his feet.

"I should probably go..." Jake sighed, clearing his throat as Taylor frowned, his thoughts finally clearing with the distance between them; his heart lurching as he realised what he wanted was about to slip away.

Before Jake could turn away, Taylor reached out and snagged his hand, using it to tug him closer again. "... You didn't let me choose." He said softly, his eyes flitting from Jake's raised brow to his lips and back again, as his hands slowly reached for Jake's slim hips.

"I thought ya already did." Jake replied, his fingers brushing Taylors cheek softly as he watched Taylor lick his lips and hesitate, struggling to give voice to his desires.

"... No." Taylor said, shaking his head slowly as his palms splayed out, slowly smoothing their way over Jake's chest. He lowered his gaze for a moment, gathering his nerve and trying desperately to catch his breath. He looked up again, as his fingertips traced tiny circles around the buttons of Jake's waistcoat.

Jake's gaze remained locked with Taylors, his hesitant intent passing between them without words. "... Ya touch _one_ more button, Boy Scout." Jake warned in a low growl, as Taylor swallowed thickly, his heart soaring into his throat as he bit his lip. "I'll take ya into ya bedroom, and there won't be any turnin' back. For _either_ of us."

Taylors heart crashed against his ribs, his mouth dry as he slowly lowered his eyes to Jake's chest. With trembling fingers, Taylor slowly and deliberately unfastened the top button of Jake's shirt; and a second later, Jake had swept him up and into his arms. "... I wasn't finished." Taylor pouted, as Jake looked around the apartment briefly, before walking confidently towards the only closed door. "Uh, romantic and... _dramatic,_ as this is and all, you realise I _am_ still able to walk?" He huffed, folding his arms around Jake's neck despite his protests.

"I spent enough time followin' ya around that dumb mall lately, to know ya walk too damn slow, Boy Scout." Jake scoffed, tightening his hold on Taylor as he grinned and ducked his head to kiss beneath Jake's jaw tentatively. Jake growled quietly, jostling Taylor briefly as he reached to open the door to his bedroom, stepping across the threshold and closing the door with his heel before carrying Taylor to the bed and sitting him on the edge of his mattress and knelt before him, his hands creeping slowly higher along his thighs.

Taylor bit his lip, his heart pounding as he hesitated briefly, before reaching for Jake's jacket. He slid the fabric from the other mans shoulders, his gaze locked shyly onto his collarbone as his cheeks darkened. As Jake shifted to let his jacket fall to the floor, Taylor moved his shaking fingers back to Jake's shirt his eyes raising to meet the other mans clear, intent gaze as he returned to unfastening his buttons. His fingers slipped beneath the cool material to glide over the heated skin, drawing in a shaky breath as he swept the shirt down Jake's arms to join his jacket on the floor. "This is... a really _bad_ idea." He murmured quietly, his blunt fingernails digging into Jake's shoulder.

"Only kinda idea worth havin'." Jake replied lowly, flashing Taylor a cocky grin which made him snicker despite his flustered state. Jake's hands returned to Taylors thighs, gliding lightly over his jeans as he winked at him. "My turn." He said, moving to sit on the bed and the mattress to shift, tipping Taylor against his thigh and causing him to gasp quietly in surprise at the contact. 

"This is a really..." Taylor murmured, half turning towards Jake as the other mans hand skimmed across his bare shoulders, tiny kisses thrilling his spine and causing him to shiver _"Really_  bad _-"_ He whimpered, his breath catching as his heart crashed within his chest, feeling Jake's hot breath ghosting near his ear, before his lips sent shocks of pleasure against the sensitive nape of his neck. "Jake..." He whispered, his previous attempts at protest forgotten as he was overwhelmed by the need to tell the other man his feelings, as the crystal clear realisation hit him hard. But as Jake raised his eyes and their eyes met, any and all words of love remained unspoken, as Jake claimed his lips in a deep and passionate kiss.

Taylors heart swelled in his chest, his hands rising to cup Jake's jaw and hold him close, the heat radiating from the other man almost threatening to knock him over as if it were an invisible force. _"Taylor..."_ Jake murmured, trailing kisses along his jaw as he lifted his weight from the bed, covering Taylors hands with his own and gently pulling him up to stand with him. His hands resumed their exploration of Taylors exposed torso and skimming to his waist, encircling him and tugging him tightly against the hard planes of his own body, groaning at the sensation of skin against skin. 

Taylor hummed with pleasure, the fingers of one hand curling into Jake's belt loops and holding him close, his mouth hungry against the other mans as his other hand slid around the back of Jake's neck and his fingers tangled into his hair.

An unspoken understanding seemed to pass between them some time later, their kiss having turned heated and urgent as they clawed and nipped at each other. As one they moved, their hands teasingly dragging over each others torso's and reaching for the others waistband, tugging them closer together as their kiss parted for breath. "Taylor, ya really sure?" Jake muttered, his forehead resting against Taylors as he gazed at him with desire and longing, his fingers hesitating as they gripped Taylors jeans tightly. "Godammit, ya beautiful, and I want ya but-"

Jake fell silent as Taylor pulled back from him by a hairs breath, looking deep into the other mans hungry gaze as he deliberately unfastened his jeans with slow movements, swallowing thickly as he reached inside and rubbed his palm against Jake's heavy arousal.

"I'm pretty damn sure." He said quietly, his lips slowly curling into a gentle but beautiful smile, as Jake hissed in surprise and pleasure. Taylor squeezed once, before drawing his hand back to Jake's jeans, tugging insistently as he walked around his bed to pull back the covers quickly. "C'mere..." He murmured, but before the words had even finished leaving his mouth Jake was against him, kissing him deeply as his hands finally worked Taylors jeans open.  Taylors heart thudded heavily, his skin burning as desire flared through him like wildfire. _I do want you Jake_... He thought distantly, trying to convey his feelings to the other man with his body.

Together they tugged and shoved at each others jeans, shimmying free of then until nothing remained between them. Taylor choked, burying his face in Jake's shoulder as he shuddered, overwhelmed by the sensation of the other mans erection pressed tightly against his own, the heat radiating between them almost smothering. He shivered as Jake mouthed at his shoulder, the soft kisses sending shivers down his spine, as the distantly remembered pressure built within him. He was entirely on fire, and Jake was the fan which fed his intense blaze. When at last he felt the worst of his tremors subside, Taylor raised his head to meet Jake's patient gaze, his eyes pleading as he intertwined his fingers with the other mans.

Together, they sank to the bed, crawling and scooting back until they were laying on their sides and facing each other. Taylor bit his lip, flushing beneath Jake's intent gaze as the other man remained silent, waiting for a sign or word of permission. He ducked his head and smiled coyly, and instantly Jake moved, his lips returning to Taylors with a hunger and urgency which made Taylors already racing heart thunder painfully with the rising level of his desire. As quickly as it began, the kiss ended; and Taylor was left dizzy from the kisses which Jake instead began to trail along his jaw. "Ya so damn beautiful, it hurts Taylor..." Jake muttered lowly, as Taylor huffed a breathless laugh in reply. 

"You need your eyes checked..." Taylor snickered quietly, as Jake's large and calloused hand smoothed searchingly over his hip, mapping out the contours of his body and unsubtly pulling him closer to the other mans evident arousal.

"Don't argue with me, I got proof, right _here."_ Jake snarked, and Taylor giggled as he felt the other mans stubble tickle his throat, the smile against his skin undeniable as he squirmed beneath the delicious ministrations of Jake's hands on his heated flesh.

"... Jake." Taylor breathed shakily, his hands curling over Jake's shoulders as the other man hummed and kissed unhurriedly across his chest. Taylor sucked in a trembling breath, as Jake rose to his knees, his hands drifting lower and his fingers brushing the sensitive skin of Taylors inner thighs as he slowly crawled backwards. His hands both massaged and clawed at Jake's shoulders, his head rising from the pillow to watch as Jake worshipped the inside of his knees with delicate, if somewhat scratchy kisses. _Love..._ Taylor thought suddenly, stunned by the vividness of the thought. _Is this love_? He wondered with a brief frown, his heart skipping a beat as if in answer, as the long distnt but vaguely familiar feeling flared once again. Taylor shifted, attempting to draw Jake back into his arms, but the other man resisted, looking up with a smirk as he instead slid his hands along the underside of Taylors thighs. "... _Oh..."_ Taylor sighed softly, his heart stuttering dangerously as Jake squeezed the backs of his thighs, and very deliberately lifted each one over his shoulders.

"I got ya..." Jake promised, his voice low with desire and obvious intent, as he bent low over Taylor, kissing his way up Taylors inner thigh so slowly that Taylor couldn't decide if he wanted to scream or hit him. He settled for squeezing his thighs around Jake's head, and had enough wits still in his brain to laugh, when the other man groaned hungrily. "Taylor." He said, and Taylor blushed at the thick and lurid tone of his desire laden voice.

Taylor gasped, his eyes widening as Jake's hand curled around the base of his cock, the other mans mouth sinking around his hard flesh, while he gazed at Taylor intensely. "Oh god..." He choked, his every nerve lighting as his hand slid into Jake's hair without his permission, his breath quickening as Jake's tongue moved against him with skill and confidence. _"Nnnh-"_ he gasped, his head falling back as his hips rocked upwards, seeking the warmth of Jake's mouth as the other man slowly sucked him deeper. He crossed his ankles behind Jake's back, unconsciously squeezing his thighs as his legs trembled. 

Jake groaned at Taylors reaction, his tongue working faster against him as he hallowed his cheeks and sucked harder, the deep throated rumble causing Taylor to cry out and tighten his hold on Jake's hair. _"Jake..!"_ He called warningly, tremors radiating deliciously through his body as heat pooled in the pit of his stomach. "Please-" he began, only to whine as Jake pulled away from his cock, panting quietly as he gently bit Taylors thigh.

"Goddamn... ya makin' this bloody hard, Taylor..." He groused thickly, his hands slipping higher along Taylors thighs, squeezing his ass tightly before pressing gently but insistently to the back of his legs and urging them to Taylors chest. "Just... I'm tryin' to go slow, and give ya _everythin'_ here... Can ya just _try_ not to be quite such a goddamn turn on?" He asked sourly, and Taylor couldn't help but laugh as he looked down at the semi serious pout on the other mans face.

"I'm sorry," Taylor snickered, shivering as Jake's seeking fingertips moved slowly across his exposed ass, his heart rising to obstruct his throat. "I'll try and behave..." He promised with a shuddering gasp, as Jake's fingers brushed across the sensitive flesh of his entrance. _"Ah!"_ He cried, his head collapsing back to the pillows, and his hand gripping tightly in Jake's hair, as the other man leaned closer and slowly, deliberately licked him.

"Famous last words..." Jake snickered, his hot breath ghosting across Taylors now oversensitive entrance, before he pressed his lips to him, his tongue gently breaching the tight ring. Taylors chest heaved rapidly, his heart thundering almost fast enough that he thought it might explode. He threw his free arm over his eyes, even as he squeezed them tightly shut and panted for breath. 

"Oh god..." He moaned, his fingers turning white at the knuckles, as he gripped Jake's hair fiercely, unable to decide if he wanted to urge him closer or pull him away; settling for just clinging to him tightly. He lost track of how long he lay there, a willing prisoner beneath Jake's delicious ministrations, as his body became awash with intense waves and tremors of pleasure. "Oh _god..."_  

 _"Hmm..."_ Jake hummed against him, and Taylor cried out as he felt Jake's tongue flick inside him once more, before withdrawing entirely. "Ya can call me, Jake." He said, his voice growing louder as he kissed a lazy path along Taylors chest.

Taylor sucked in a deep and shuddering breath, lowering his arm from his eyes to find Jake smirking at him smugly. He narrowed his eyes and dug his nails into the back of Jake's neck, pulling him down into a deep kiss which had Jake groaning and gripping his hip tightly, grinding himself urgently against Taylors arousal as one of his legs slipped from Jake's shoulder and curled tightly around his waist. "Jake." He pleaded, kissing along Jake's jaw to his shoulder, as Jake rest his forehead to Taylors shoulder and tried to re-collect his restraint. _"Please,_ Jake." He whispered, biting the other mans shoulder sharply.

"Aw, hell..." Jake growled, beginning to kiss and nip at Taylors shoulder in retaliation, his grip on Taylors hip almost bruising as he held him still. He slowly rocked his hips back further, his body gliding lower over Taylors and aligning with him in a nerve shattering motion. "Goddamn it, I ain't ever wanted anythin'-" he began, breaking off with a low groan as he pressed himself against Taylors ass, his cock slowly entering him. Taylor gasped, his jaw falling slack as Jake paused, raising himself to peer at him worriedly. "Am I hurtin' ya..? I-" he trailed off as Taylor shook his head, swallowing heavily as he smiled shyly and gently tugged Jake's hair to pull him closer.

He kissed him sweetly, reassuring him as best he could. "It's been a _long_ time..." He murmured, his lips grazing over Jake's, as his eyes flicked up to meet Jake's intense gaze. "And it was certainly never this... _intense,_ befo- _oh!"_ He cried, shuddering as Jake slowly moved deeper into him. He bit his lip, as Jake gently nipped along his throat, allowing him to adjust as he slowly sheathed himself. _"Jake..."_ He pleaded, his body alive with urgent tremors which radiated throughout him, his stomach fluttering with urgent desire as he tentatively rocked himself up against Jake.

Jake groaned, moving his hips slightly and rocking into Taylor with a slow and thrilling intensity. His hard chest molded itself snugly against Taylors, until there wasn't even a breath of space between them, filling him completely. "Taylor..." He breathed against his throat, moving with fierce and possessive strokes as he growled and smothered Taylors throat with dizzying kisses, licks and bites.

Taylor couldn't fight back the soft moans which escaped his lips, as he melted around Jake. Incredulous with pleasure, he ran his free hand along Jake's side and clawed at his hip, feeling his strength as he dug his blunt nails into the soft skin. _"Mmm..."_ He hummed, his mouth pressed tightly against Jake's shoulder, his teeth locked into the flesh as he tried to hold on. "Oh god..." He whimpered, his eyes meeting Jake's as the other man raised himself over him, his alignment changing and now striking at his most sensitive nerves with every deep thrust.

"Hell..." Jake mumbled, surging forward to cover Taylors mouth with his own, his lips moving urgently as his tongue delved forward hungrily. Taylors body filled with a whirling storm, a vicious flame blazing through him and driving him towards the cliff of bliss far sooner than he wanted, though he was unable to fight it beneath such rigorous ministrations of pleasure.

 _"Mmmm..!"_ His passionate whimpers dissolved Jake's mouth, his hand quickly dropping from Jake's hip to his cock, desperately trying to hold back the rising surge of euphoria by squeezing the base tightly, but to no avail; as he exploded beneath Jake. His pleasure riddled eyes met Jake's as bliss took him, and he cried out as Jake pounded heavy and hard within him, turning his head to bite Taylors thigh on his shoulder; as endless, dizzying spasms took control.

"Mmm..!" Jake growled against Taylors thigh, as Taylor contracted and expanded expanded around him, until answering tremors shook his own body for long moments. He stilled, panting as he eased himself up, gazing down at Taylor with affection and barely sated desire. _"Taylor-"_ he began, only to fall silent as Taylor slid his leg from his shoulder and gently pulled him closer again.

Taylors heart swelled so large, he felt certain it would smother him any second. His lips hrazed against Jake's, almost hesitant after such previously passionate kisses. "Jake... I-" he swallowed thickly, unable to voice the words he knew he needed to say. Instead he drew Jake into another kiss, content to push aside the talk he knew they needed to have about the new complication to their situation, determined to ignore the gnawing sense of loss he already felt building in his gut for the remainder night.

"Ya somethin' else... ya know that?" Jake asked sometime later, as they lay facing each other on the bed, their fingers entwined and softly caressing each others knuckles. "Can't say I've ever seen fireworks before." He snorted, reaching up to sweep his thumb across Taylors cheek.

"Hmm..." Taylor hummed tiredly, smiling as he nuzzled the other mans jaw affectionately. "Well, you aren't too shabby yourself, you know?" He snickered, laughing when Jake snorted and jabbed him in the shoulder playfully. He sighed contently, though the motion quickly changed to a yawn. "Damn... I better get up, else I'm gonna be sleeping all night, and then I'll be fucked at work tomorrow."

"Hmm, only if ya ask _real_ nice..." Jake hummed, kissing Taylors shoulder with a smirk that he could feel against his skin. "Voyeurism takes a lot of _persuasion."_

"That is _not_ what I meant and you _know_ it." Taylor snorted fondly, rolling his eyes as he groaned and moved to sit up, only to yelp and roll quickly to his feet. Jake snorted, rolling to his back as he laughed at the ceiling while Taylor scowled at him, grabbing his pillow and slamming it down over the other mans head. "Shut up." He groused sourly, stomping away to locate his underwear.

"Didn't _say_ a thing." Jake snickered, smirking at Taylor as he moved the pillow from his face to beneath his head. When Taylor threw him a knowing, withering glare, he merely winked at him and laughed at Taylors expression; stuck somewhere between exasperated, annoyed and amused.

Taylor stepped into his underwear as he rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he moved to the doorway of his bedroom. He headed down to his bathroom, yawning as he turned on the light and choking when he caught sight of his reflection.

 "Jake! What the bloody hell did you _do_ to me?!" He yelled, scowling at the knowing laughter which rang out down the hall from his bedroom. "I look like a goddamn leopard..." He complained with a pout, touching one of his various love bites tentatively. He sighed and shook his head, splashing water on his face to wake himself up before cleaning himself up.

By the time he returned to his bedroom, Jake was just pulling on his jacket, though he paused to run his eyes over Taylor suggestively. "Damn... ya look good enough to eat, Boy Scout." He hummed, slipping his arm into his sleeve and approaching Taylor, his arm sliding around his hip and drawing him closer.

"By the look of it, you already _did."_ Taylor replied waspishly, though he wrapped his arms around Jake's neck with a small smile. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, at the wolfish grin which Jake threw him, but before he could say anything his lips were stolen in a surprisingly chaste kiss.

"Didn't hear ya complainin' when I was eatin' ya-" Jake began to murmur against his lips, causing Taylor to flush in embarrassment. He pressed his lips to Jake's more insistently, kissing him until his smug grin had faded and he was groaning in frustration. "Damn, Boy Scout... Why'd ya have to be such a damn turn on, when I gotta leave?" He complained, burying his face in Taylors throat and mouthing at his skin longingly.

"Well, maybe it will give you incentive to come back sooner." Taylor replied, wondering just where it was Jake went during the day, and on the nights he didn't have to work or wasn't meeting Taylor for sneaky dates. _Maybe he just disappears, or gets taken to some kind of waiting room in that Council place Quinn mentioned_... He thought, grimacing as he thought of Quinn, knowing he'd have to ask her what this new development between him and Jake would mean.

"Sounds an awful lot like an invitation..." Jake murmured against his throat, causing Taylor to shiver as desire re-awoke in his gut. "Ya could always phone in sick tonight... I could come play doctor for ya."

Taylor laughed, pushing away from Jake with reluctance as he smiled ruefully. "As _tempting_ as that is, I'm already on thin ice at work... Rain check?" He asked, winking as Jake's clear eyes flashed with desire.

"Ya killin' me here, Taylor..." Jake groaned, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair distractedly, his gaze softening as he grinned at Taylor. "Ya know, I ain't gonna be able to stop thinkin' about ya, about _this..."_ He said, and Taylor felt his heart melt at the confession.

"Me either." He admitted, leaning closer and allowing Jake a final soft and tender kiss. "But... you have to go?" He guessed, as Jake sighed and grimaced, reluctantly nodding.

"Bosses orders." He groused, raising a brow as Taylor snickered and shook his head quickly. "But, can I meet ya before work? We can catch somethin' quick to eat?" He asked, biting his lip in uncharacteristic shyness.

Taylor bit his lip hesitantly, before nodding his head. He glanced at his tree in the living room, his eyes widening as he saw it begin to glitter ominously. "Uh, yeah sure. Well, you should probably head out. So see you later, right?" He said quickly, urging Jake toward the door, hoping Quinn wouldn't know he'd been there at all; let alone what they'd done together.

"Uh, yeah... okay." Jake said uneasily, allowing himself to.be steered towards the door. "So, meet in our spot?" Jake asked, as Taylor opened his front door. "Usual time?" He added, raising a brow as Taylor half shoved him into the hallway.

"Yeah, sure!" Taylor said distractedly, glancing back towards his living room as Quinn began to materialize beside his tree. "Okay, see you then, Top Gun!" He cried suddenly, flashing Jake a wide grin which caused his eyes to widen in concern before quickly closing the door in his face. He hurried back along his hall, ignoring the concerned knocking on his door as he ran into his bedroom and quickly dressed himself.

"Oh my god, cutey!" Quinn cried, bursting into his bedroom moments later without knocking. "You little _sneak!_ I knew you had a date, but I didn't know it was gonna get x-rated!" She giggled, fanning herself with her hand playfully.

Taylor scowled at her, his cheeks flaring with heat as he blushed. "Were you _spying_ from the top of the tree?!" He demanded, as Quinn nodded unashamedly and sat on the edge of his bed, before quickly grimacing and leaping to her feet again. Taylor lowered his eyes, his irritation fading as guilt curled through his gut. "So... you saw me and Jake..?" He asked hesitantly, fiddling with the hem of his shirt awkwardly.

"Jake, huh?" Quinn asked, nudging him playfully. "He's almost as cute as _you!_ In a rugged, 'I haven't shaved in a week' kinda way." She giggled, sighing contently as she twirled and held her arms around herself tightly.

"So... you're not mad?" He asked, frowning as he eyed Quinn uncertainly, stepping around her as he moved to head to his kitchen, before pausing I the doorway and turning back to win confusion. "Wait, I thought you said Jake was 'scorching' when you first described him..."

"Huh?" Quinn asked, her brow creasing as she looked over at him. "How would I know what this guy looks like? You just met him, and you wouldn't tell me _anything_ before you went on your big date!" She pouted, though she quickly broke out in another giddy burst of giggles, a coy smile curling her lips. "Which I'm guessing went well, considering what I saw on your couch..!" She said leadingly, as Taylor frowned and looked away, rubbing his stomach as it began to hollow with reluctantly rising dread. 

"Quinn..." Taylor began hesitantly, biting his lip as nausea began to churn in his gut, desperately hoping he was just being particularly dense. 

"So, tell me how you met him! C'mon, cutey!" Quinn urged, clapping her hands excitedly as she beamed at him. "You can't stay all tight lipped after all this! Please! Dish the deets!"

"Quinn..." Taylor repeated with rising urgency, glancing down his hallway as the knocking on his door finally ceased. "Quinn, please just... answer me honestly about something, 'cause I am... _freaking out_ , right now." Taylor rambled, leaning against his door frame as his breath quickened, close to hyperventilating as realisation burned just beneath his skin.

"Huh? What is it, hon?" Quinn asked, her concern palpable as she noticed Taylors obvious distress. "Of course I will, but what's the matter?"

"Quinn," Taylor asked, the room spinning as he tried to suck in a deep breath and failed, his mouth dry and uncooperative. "Is Jake the partner you made me, or not?" He demanded, his voice hoarse and breathless combined, as he gripped the wall behind him as if his life depended on it.

 _"What?!"_ Quinn cried, her eyes widening in surprise as she stared at Taylor incredulously. "Where on earth did you get that idea, cutey?" She asked, moving closer as her brow furrowed in confusion. 

"Oh _god..."_ Taylor choked, turning away as his heart gave a sharp lurch in his chest, trembling as horror and disbelief swept through him. "No... No, no, _no..."_ He muttered, staggering away from the doorway and stumbling into his living room, grabbing his phone from the table and quickly scrolling through until he found Raj's number.

He pressed call and slammed the phone to his ear, not even noticing the sting as he curled his arm around his waist and tried to ignore the vicious churning in his gut. "Yo, doodlejump, how you doi-"

"Raj, who the hell is Jake?" Taylor demanded, cutting off Raj's greeting and stunning him into silence. "You saw me with him at the pub today, didn't you? And that first night... Oh god, _every_ night... Who the hell has been walking around the shopping centre with me?!" He cried desperately, his hand moving to his hair and tugging sharply, hysteria bubbling within him.

"Dude, he said you knew everything..." Raj said, and Taylor couldn't help the sob of grief and denial which escaped him. "Look, it was Mike's idea, dude! He wanted to know you were okay at work, he felt bad about being off over Christmas! He said if we all just pretended like we didn't see Jake, we could let him walk around with you... We figured, when you said you knew who he was, we figured you spoke to Mike-"

"You _lied_ to me!" Taylor yelled, crying hot tears of shame and betrayal, as he thought back over the weeks he'd been so oblivious of the truth. "What the hell is wrong with you all?! I thought I was going crazy! I thought... I _thought..."_ He choked, swallowing heavily as he tried to regain control of himself. "I thought he cared..." He hiccupped, bitterness seeping into his tone.

"Dude, he does!" Raj protested quickly, concerned at Taylors obvious distress. "Mike asked him to help 'cause they were buddies in the Navy-"

"Oh god..." Taylor choked, recalling the night Jake had first introduced himself. _He was never imaginary... He really was a pilot_... He thought, his hand covering his mouth as he closed his eyes.

"- but I _swear_ dude, he said it himself!" Raj continued hurriedly, having clearly continued talking through Taylors internal epiphany. "He really, _really_ cares! He thought you knew, we all-"

"You all lied to me." Taylor said thickly, his eyes opening as he leaned back against his couch and stared at the ceiling blankly. "You all sat there, night after night... and I was the fool of the year, 'cause I believed he was really..." He swallowed thickly, unable to say anything further.

"Dude, I'm sorry, but I promise; Jake-" Taylor ended the call, his stomach roiling dangerously as Raj's voice cut off abruptly. His heart felt hollow, the love and affection he'd felt less than an hour before long departed, buried beneath his sense of embarrassment and betrayal.

"Cutey..?" Quinn asked, approaching him slowly as he stared at the ceiling and felt his heart breaking, devastated to have been so utterly blindsided. "What's wro-"

"This is all your fault." He said blankly, his eyes locked on the ceiling, staring at his perfectly symmetrical decorations. "If you hadn't come and stuck your nose in my life, if you hadn't filled my head with garbage about 'flirting partners' and basically imaginary friends... I never would've..." He trailed off, unable to push the words from his throat, knowing his feelings for Jake would have formed regardless, but too raw to admit he might have still let him in. Instead he turned to glare at Quinn, pouring all his frustration towards her. "Get out."

"Huh?" Quinn gasped, her eyes widening in surprise, before her face crumbled in grief. "No, no, cutey! You were there, right _there!_ Don't go backwards now, suga-"

"Get _out!"_ Taylor yelled, kicking his coffee table aside as he felt his embarrassment sweep through him like wildfire, consuming everything but his grief and thensense of betrayal he felt towards his friends and his Fairie. "Get out of my head! Get out of my apartment! Get out of my _life!"_ He cried desperately, choking as he covered his face with his hands and wept.

Quinn hesitated, stepping closer uncertainly only to sigh and begin to fade, glittering as she disappeared and moved to the top of his tree. _"Arghhhh!"_ Taylor growled, whirling through his apartment like a storm, tearing down his symmetrical streamers as his embarrassment flared into anger, ripping the star from the centre of his living room and hurling it the ground. "I can't believe I was so..." He choked, shaking his head as he tore the bells from his windows, causing them to jingle in alarm as he tossed them at the walls. _"So..."_ He hiccupped, his gaze turning to the tree, as he stomped forward and kicked at its base, sending it toppling to the ground. As his fairy tree topper rolled across the floor, Taylors fury subsided, leaving him hollow once again. "So _stupid..."_ He whispered, rubbing his palms into his eyes as his shoulders shook with quiet sobs of grief and embarrassment. "I should never have let him in... I knew _better!"_ He cried in frustration, sinking to the floor by his couch and leaning against the back, sniffling quietly as he gazed at his phone emptily.

After several moments of hard consideration, he slowly dialed a familiar number and raised the device to his ear, taking a deep and shuddering breath as he waited for the call to be answered. _"Nn,_ Taylor..?" He winced guiltily at the sleepy tone of voice, not even having thought of what time zone his friend might be in. "Taylor?" Diego repeated, seening to wake up at Taylors prolonged silence, sensing his distress. "What is it? Are you oka-"

"Diego..." Taylor choked, a half broken sob escaping him. "Can you come back?" He pleaded quietly, sniffing as he bit his lip and tried to hold back his tears.

The line was quiet for a moment, save for Diego's faint but urgent voice in the background, before he returned to his phone; alert and determined as he spoke confidently and soothingly. "We're gonna be there as soon as possible, dude." He promised, the sound of hurried movement making Taylors guilt soar, though he couldn't bring himself to tell his friend to stay where he was. "Varyyn's calling in a favour, so just sit tight, okay?"

"'kay." Taylor said weakly, nodding despite knowing his friend couldn't see him, his throat constricting as he lowered his face to his knees.

"Taylor?" Diego's voice called down the phone, his urgency rising as he repeatedly tried to get Taylor to respond. _"Taylor!"_  

But despite his best efforts and various attempts to reassure his friend, Taylor couldn't bring himself to speak. Instead he allowed his phone to fall to the floor, curling his arms around his knees as he thought back over his evening; over a night he had thought was the most amazing experience of his life, telling himself it had been nothing but a lie. Holding himself tightly, Taylor wept for everything he'd thought he'd found; and everything he'd lost in the process.


	4. Part Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im not happy. Like at all.  
> But this is the best i could come up with tbh - ive had no access to work on this the past couple daya but i was determined to get it done so that it was finished before new year...
> 
> I may well come back and rewrite the ending - let me know what you think becaude if it really is awful then i will need to do that sooner :'(
> 
> Thankyou so much for reading!
> 
> I honestly feel blessed rhat i found this fandom this year - and all of YOU.  
> You havw all made me feel so appreciated, and feel likw my work is actually worth sometjing. I cant ever thankyou enough for that.
> 
> I hope this isnt a bad xhapter - obviously i dont want to give you substandard crap - but just let me know anyway please, so i can judge what i need to work on in it ♡
> 
> HAPPY NEW YEAR!   
> I hope to see everyone for the many Jaylor adventures i have planned in 2019 - and i wish you all the very best of years! ♡
> 
> x My love to you all x

**The Christmas Wish.**

**Part Four**.

Taylor stared at the floor unseeingly, exhausted from the emotional tidal wave he'd tried to endure over the past three days. His nerves were shot, raw and sensitive from Jake's daily hammering on his door and the pleading, if slightly muffled calls he made through the locked obstruction. He shivered, pulling his duvet tighter around his shoulders as he curled his knees into his chest, pressing his face into his couch cushion and desperately wishing he could sleep. He'd been unable to face staying in his bedroom; the memory of Jake's touch, his kiss and the passionate exchange between them, all but devouring him. 

When Diego and Varyyn had  the following day and had assured him they were alone so he could let them in, they'd been shocked to see his broken and haunted gaze, and he'd quickly begged them to take his bedroom as their own. He had called in sick to work, Diego even taking over the call to confirm he was bed ridden and needed time until he was recovered from whatever strange ailment was currently destroying him. _Can you die of embarrassment_? He wondered distantly, sighing as he rolled onto his back and shifted his vacant stare to the ceiling.

He swallowed heavily, his hand raising to rub at his face tiredly, before running higher into his hair, his stomach hollow as he thought back over the past few, blurry days. He vaguely recalled Diego and Varyyn's arrival, distantly remembered pleading for them to stay, and having to explain he couldn't stomach sleeping in his room; it was too soon. Too painfully wonderful an evening to ever forget, but one he desperately wished he could.

"Taylor," Diego had demanded, taking his hands and gazing at him with a nervous but determined grimace. "Did your date... d-did he-" he tried to ask, and Taylors eyes would normally have widened at the obvious insinuation, but all he was able to do was shake his head sadly.

"No... no, he was..." He sniffed, lowering his eyes to the floor as his vision was swamped by tears, his throat prickling painfully as he tried not to release the small, heartbroken sob hovering in his chest. "He was _perfect."_ He choked, trying to wrap his arms around himself for warmth and comfort, but Diego beat him to it. His best friend held him tightly, silent for a long pause until Taylors quiet sobs and tremors finally eased.

"Dude, what the hell happened?" He asked softly, drawing Taylor to the couch as he drew in a shuddering breath and sat heavily. "Start at the beginning, and tell me _everything."_ He'd ordered softly but firmly and despite his grief, his embarrassment and the admittedly unfair sense of betrayal he felt in his heart; Taylor had slowly done exactly that.

When he was finished, they'd sat in thick silence, Diego staring hard at the far wall as Taylor closed his eyes and sighed wearily, tired from the having kept so many emotions pent up within himself. He still felt the sting of his embarrassment keenly, but at last, having shared his story; he felt the beginnings of a blissful numbness take him. When Diego had sighed tiredly, Taylor had looked over to find his friend with both hands in his hair, shaking his head slightly in disbelief.

"This is..." He said, his mouth opening and closing several times as he struggled to find the words. Taylor rolled his eyes and turned away, gazing out the window as he heaved a long and weary sigh. "Why didn't you say anything sooner, ya idjit?" He demanded, scowling at Taylor in frustration.

Taylor shrugged disinterestedly, watch a bird as it seemed to hover on the wind outside. "What exactly was I gonna say?" He asked quietly, raising a hand to rub at his eyes tiredly. "Oh, hey Diego, I know you're round the other side of the world but I have an imaginary friend now, and I'm falling in lo-" he bit his tongue sharply, his hands balling to tight fists as he turned to glare at his lap, refusing to let the words past his lips.

"Taylor..." Diego sighed, pausing as he seemed to sense the futility of pressing Taylor to continue. "Dude, you know that I would never think any less of you. You asked me to come back, and we called in favours _instantly_ to do it just as fast as we could." He said gently, reaching over and taking Taylors hand in his own, smoothing it out of the tightly gripped ball. "You're my best friend, Taylor. Nothing will _ever_ change that... even if you've gone crazy." He added, chuckling when Taylor yanked his hand back and swatted his leg with a stinging slap he knew he deserved.

 _"Bitch."_ Taylor muttered sullenly, though his lips twitched in amusement, his water filled, red rimmed eyes softening as he turned towards his friend.

 _"Jerk."_ Diego snorted, holding out his fist towards him. Taylor rolled his eyes, but bumped his fist to Diego's, shaking his head as he lowered his gaze to his lap and fiddled with a stray thread on his trousers. They remained in silent camaraderie for a moment, Taylors tense shoulders slowly relaxing beside his friend; until he spoke again. _"Soooo,_ you _finally_ got laid?" Diego said eagerly, and Taylor would have laughed at his obvious excitement, if the memory hadn't make his stomach flip dangerously.

"Oh god, _please_ shut up." He groaned, burying his face in his hands as it flamed red, biting his lip as the memory played in his mind unbidden; of Jake's fingers ghosting over his skin so tantalizingly. "Can't you see I'm _trying_ to wallow in self pity and morbid embarrassment, here? Must you gloat so loudly?" He demanded dramatically, as Diego raised a brow at him.

"Uh, _yes?"_ He snorted, jabbing Taylor in the shoulder playfully. "Stop being such a damn drama queen, that's _my_ job." He added, nudging Taylors knee with his own. "Now come on, tell me; was it good? Did he treat you right? Did he make you c-?"

"Oh god, please let me _die."_ Taylor complained weakly, trying to turn away, only for Diego to plaster himself against his side.

"Come _oooonn,_ Taylor!" Diego whined, shaking him playfully but firmly. "I've been trying to get that stick outta your ass for ages, you _needed_ this! At least tell me it was enjoyable for you!" 

Taylor sighed and covered his face with his hands, closing his eyes as the entire evening he'd spent with Jake flashed suddenly before his eyes. "It was..." He began shakily, lowering his hands and swallowing thickly as his throat constricted painfully. "It was perfect. _He_ was perfect... I..." He choked, tears spilling once more over his cheeks as he remembered Jake's almost reverent touches, and his blistering kisses.

"... Not to sound like I'm picking holes but, if this guy is so perfect... why're you ignoring him?" Diego pushed, frowning when a myriad of emotions flickered over Taylors face too quick for him to decipher. "I mean, I've heard him banging on the door dude, he doesn't sound like someone who's gonna give up anytime soon." He admitted, narrowing his eyes when Taylors expression crumpled with grief.

"... I know." Taylor agreed thickly, taking a deep and shaky breath as he paused, desperately trying to find the words which would explain the complicated weave of his emotions. "But... I can't help but feel like everything is a lie. You know me, I would _never_ have opened up to him so easily if I thought he was actually a real person... I guess I thought, falling for him was safer... Because he was my imaginary friend, here to stay until I finally fulfilled whatever stupid rules of the whole... _wish_ thing." He spat viciously, slashing his arm through the air before him. "... which there was no telling how long it could take. I think part of me felt _safe,_ thinking he might end up being with me for the rest of my life. But now, I don't know... realising he was always just-" he shook his head, exhaling heavily as he averted his frustrated gaze.

"Just human?" Diego suggested quietly, squeezing Taylors leg reassuringly when he flinched and seemed to curl in on himself slightly, resting his forehead into his palm. "Just a _real_ person?" He continued cautiously, ignoring the way Taylors chest began to heave with quick, sharp breaths. "You opened yourself to a real person... and it scared the hell outta you, didn't it?"

Taylor stubbornly locked his jaw, refusing to admit any such thing, buy his eyes reflected the truth when he glanced at his friend. "I can't _face_ him, Diego..." He finally choked, shaking his head as he tried to contain the grief and embarrassment which overwhelmed him. "I can't... I didn't _know..."_ He sniffed brokenly, as Diego's expression melted with sympathy and he shifted closer to draw Taylor into a tight embrace.

"It's okay... It'll get easier, dude. Its new is all, you'll see... You'll get over this, and you'll see him again, and you'll fix-" Diego hummed quietly, reassuring Taylor as best he could, until Taylor began to shake his head vehemently.

"No, I can't... I _can't,_ Diego!" He insisted, sobbing with obvious distress and heartache. "I lied to him; he lied to me..! It wasn't what either of us thought! I can't..." He choked, burying his face in Diego's shoulder as his friend sighed and rubbed his back soothingly.

"... Don't you think you should tell him that then?" Diego asked gently, frowning when Taylor sucked in a sharp breath and tensed in his arms. "I mean, do you _really_ think its fair to let him keep coming here and pleading for you to talk to him? You can only pretend your not here for so long, ya idjit..."

Taylor pulled away, scrubbing his arm over his eyes roughly as he grimaced and pushed to his feet. "I can't face him, Diego! I can't _look_ at him, and see the same look in his eyes as when he was _here_ with me! I'm not the person he thinks I am! Hell, he's not the person I thought he was!" He growled firmly, scowling as he paced behind the couch. "What should I say? I'm sorry, I only slept with you because I thought you were just... all in my head?"

"Sounds more like he was in your _ass,_ but whatev-" Diego snorted, only to fall silent again at Taylors sharp and furious glare, his frown of concern returning at Taylors obvious agitation.

"Dude just... look I _can't,_ okay? I don't have any kind of explanation for him!" Taylor fumed, pacing uneasily as he shook his head and bit his lip. "I don't... I _can't..._ I-"

"Oh for crying out loud, _sit down_!" Diego snarked, scowling as Taylor flinched and moved back to lean against the wall, lowering his eyes to the floor guiltily. "Dude..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair before standing and approaching Taylor cautiously. "Take a breath. Stop... _being me."_ He said, rolling his eyes as a smile ghosted across Taylors face briefly. 

Taylor sighed and forced himself to take a long, sarcastic breath, trailing off into faint snickers when his friend swatted his shoulder irritably. "I-" 

"Shut up, idjit." Diego scoffed, frowning as he watched Taylor reluctantly raise his eyes. "You _really_ like him, don't you?" He asked slowly, shaking his head as Taylor winced and looked away. "You know he's just gonna show up when you go back to work?"

"I'm not going back." Taylor said quietly, refusing ro meet Diego's gaze, his hand balling tightly at his side. "They all... they-" he bit his cheek, narrowing his eyes as he drew in a sharp breath. "They all sat there, night after night... watching. I spent so long, trying not to act weird, making sure I wasn't spending too long in one place, looking a certain way..." He said, his voice slowly rising and quickening as he remembered his time with Jake, the evenings he'd thought were private between them. "They sat there and watched... and they just, they never-" he trailed off, shaking his head as he finally looked back at his friend. "I handed in my notice this morning. Told them I wasn't getting better, and they should hire someone else... _effective immediately."_  

"Dude, _what?!"_ Diego blurted, his eyes widening in shock. "How the hell do you expect to afford this place without your paycheck, you _idjit?!"_ He demanded, his voice rising and drawing Varyyn to poke his head into the room from the kitchen. "Did you even think this through at all-"

 _"No!_ Okay?!" Taylor snapped, his eyes damp as Varyyn gently drew Diego a few steps away. "No! I _didn't_ think it through! All I keep thinking about is the fact that all my friends watched me run around the store at night with Jake, saw me let him in! And I can't _stand_ it! They all saw me being so weak, so vulnerable at times..! and I... I... I feel like such a total fool, Diego. You can't begin to understand." He choked, scrubbing a trembling hand across his jaw. "I'll apply for work elsewhere, okay? I just... I can't face them all again. Not after this."

Diego frowned, moving to catch Taylors arm as he brushed past, but his husband gently restrained him; allowing Taylor to dart down the hallway to find solitude in his bathroom. "Varyyn..." He murmured uncertainly, looking up at his husband pleadingly. "I've never seen him like this... What do we do?"

"Taylor must work through what he's feeling himself... We can only be here for him." Varyyn said gently, holding Diego in his arms and kissing his furrowed brow lightly. "I'm sure once he calms down, he will realise that whatever else has happened; he and Jake's feelings were their own. I'm sure that with a little time he will be ready to talk to this Jake person, and then perhaps they may resume their courting."

"Uh, I'm not sure you're aware, but this is _Taylor_ we're talking about... You know, stubborn, stupid, ridiculously impulsive and irrational?" Diego said, grimacing as he recalled the state of the bed when he and Varyyn had arrived. "Also, I'm _really_ not sure whatever they were doing could really be called 'courting'..."

Varyyn laughed softly, nuzzling his nose to Diego's hair. "Trust me." He said, smiling as Diego scowled up at him. "Taylor will pull through this. You'll help him." He assured, as Diego snorted and huddled into Varyyn's superbly sculpted chest.

"I'll do more than that." Diego muttered darkly, flashing an irritated but concerned glance toward the hallway where his best friend had disappeared. "I'll beat his stupid, idjit ass until he listens to me." He groused sourly, sighing as he tried to push aside the niggling concern over his friends strange behaviour, and telling himself he believed his husbands words of comfort.

Down the hallway, Taylor hesitated behind the bathroom door, swallowing thickly as he finally eased it closed with barely a click, silently sliding the lock into its latch, as he turned to lean his back against the hard surface. _I wish it were so simple_... He thought, rubbing at his tired eyes and sighing heavily, as he slowly slid down to the floor _. I wish I could just laugh this off but_... He paused, gritting his teeth as his fingernails dig sharply into his ankles. _Wishing is what got me into this mess. If I hadn't made that stupid wish, I would never have thought Jake was anything other than just some ass I met one day. I would have sent him on his way that first night, and never fallen_... He shook his head, trying not to even think the words he knew were etched across his heart.

Taylor sighed, resting his chin on his knees and curling his arms around himself, his stomach churning as he wiped his face across his trousers. _Diego's right though. Jake knows where I live now, he's never gonna give up, and he's gonna be here like a raging storm, once he finds out I've quit._.. He thought, biting his lip as he rocked himself gently. _There's no way to avoid him here... If I wanna avoid him, I'm gonna have to move and I seriously can't afford that._

Taylor sighed, rolling his head back against the door and looking up at the ceiling blankly, wishing he could explain himself better to his friends, while also trying to think of where he might find some _cheaper apartments he could transfer to. Hell, I'm either gonna have to start selling myself to afford a new place, or figure out where I can go that doesn't require-_ he blinked suddenly, his thoughts stuttering to a halt as an idea began to blossom tentatively. "I..." He breathed, sitting straight and fumbling his phone from his pocket with suddenly unresponsive fingers. He swallowed thickly, his mouth turning dry as blood began to rush in his ears, his heart quickening as he typed a brief search into his web browser. His eyes slowly widened, until he let his head fall back to softly bump against the door. "Well, he certainly won't find me _there..."_ He murmured softly, staring at the ceiling until Diego startled him by knocking on the door.

"Dude, are you gonna get out here and help me? Or are you prepared to actually eat my cooking?" He called through the door, and Taylor felt his eyes sting briefly with grief, before he quickly pushed himself to his feet. He stowed his phone in his pocket and splashed some water on his face, staring at his hollow eyed reflection for a moment, before turning to open the door.

"I am not now, nor will I _ever_ be, crazy enough to eat your cooking." He scoffed playfully, a strained smile curling his lips as he stepped into the hallway and pulled his friend into a tight hug. Diego tensed for a moment, but returned the embrace just as fiercely as Taylor took a shuddering, deep breath and quickly collected himself. "I'm sorry I'm being such an assbutt... But things will be okay. I _promise."_ He murmured, pulling back with another strained smile before heading off to the kitchen.

Diego watched him go with a frown, rubbing his arm distractedly and telling himself that Taylors promise didn't sound like the greatest lie he'd ever heard him utter. With a sigh, he followed after his friend, determined to keep a closer eye on him and keep him from doing something stupid and utterly Taylor.

The following day, at ten fourteen in the morning, Diego was unsurprised by the fierce and determined banging on Taylors door. With a sigh, he walked to the door and swung it open, raising a brow at the dishevelled and clearly startled man stood in the doorway. "Well. I guess I can see why he was so hung up on you..." He said thoughtfully, running his eyes over the other man as he tried to gather his wits. "You are Jake, I'm guessing?" He added, leaning against the doorframe casually.

"What?" Jake asked dumbly, shaking his head as his shock finally cleared, replaced with irritation as he tried to peer past him into the apartment. "Look, I dunno who the hell ya are, but I need to see the pain in the ass who lives here; now where the hell _is_ he?!" He demanded, taken aback when Diego began to laugh. 

"Oh man, I _wish_ I could've seen you two together." He laughed, before abruptly beginning to splutter and turn red. "I mean, not like that kind of together, just that I wish I'd seen you two fucking around... Wait, _no!_ No! I mean-"

"Look, Short Stuff, interestin' as this is and all, I really need to talk to Taylor. _Please."_ Jake asked, gritting his teeth with the effort to be polite and not simply barge his way into the apartment. "I just, I really need-"

"Oh man, the accent thing too..." Diego sighed wistfully, clicking his tongue as he shook his head. "No wonder he fell hard and fast." He said sadly, running a hand through his hair tiredly.

"Whaddaya mean-?" Jake began, only to shake his head and grimace, one hand curling into a fist at his side, as he jabbed an accusing finger at Diego's chest. "Look, I don't have time to play games! Taylor! Get ya goddamn ass out here! What the _hell_ are ya playin' at?!"

"You can yell all you want, he won't answer." Diego said quietly, stepping aside and gesturing for Jake to step inside. "Hell, poke around if you want. There's actually probably something you should see anyway." He sighed, turning to lead the way into the kitchen.

Jake remained in the doorway for a moment, uncertain of whether to follow, before finally deciding that his need to find Taylor outweighed his suspicion of the strange man in Taylors apartment. "What the hell's goin' on, Pinky?" Jake demanded, as Diego turned and leaned against a kitchen counter, plucking a small and crumpled piece of paper from the side and offering it to Jake.

"He's gone." Diego sighed, shaking his head sadly as Jake's gut dropped like a dead weight, his heart clenching as he took the paper with shaking fingers. He smoothed it out slowly, glancing up at the stranger opposite him with a raised brow.

 _"Gone?"_ He repeated uncertainly, confused as the stranger nodded and gestured back to the paper in his hands. "Diego... Wait, _you're_ Diego?" Jake read aloud, pausing and raising his head abruptly to find Diego smirking at him in unconvincing, weary amusement. "Huh... Ya shorter than I imagined."

Diego scowled, his cheeks darkening as he turned away. "Just read the stupid note." He snarked, as Jake sniggered quietly at his reaction and turned back to the note, his hollow stomach quivering nervously.

" _Diego, sorry for being you a little longer and stealing the dramatic role, but I knew you'd only tell me not to go_..." He read aloud, his heart sinking in dread and unwelcome realisation. " _I'm sorry I made you come all the way back here, I hope you and Varyyn can get back to wherever you were okay. I know you'll be mad at me right now, but I... I can't see any other way. Please don't hate me_." Jake paused, rolling his eyes fondly at Taylors long winded apologies and dramatic monologue. _"I'm going to._.." Jake trailed off, frowning as he glanced at Diego, who spread his palms unhelpfully and shook his head in sad disbelief.

"He snuck out during the midnight hours..." Diego explained, swallowing thickly as Jake felt his throat tighten, his eyes returning to the paper as he clenched his fist, crumpling it once more. "If we'd woken up a few hours earlier, maybe we could have got to him in time. But he'll be boarding any time now..." He said, his hands gripping tightly at the counter behind him.

"But, he wouldn't!" Jake denied, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his hands tightly, his heart splitting clean in two. "He _can't!_ I lo-"

"Yeah, Taylor doesn't think well when he's wallowing or stressed out." Diego sighed, shaking his head forlornly. "Believe me, I am _way_ more pissed than you. Those people have made him miserable for years, and that's without having to actually see them..." He growled, spreading his palms again in frustration. "But there's nothing I can do now. I mean, we can fly out there and try to catch him before he reaches them, but its unlikely at this point. Besides..." He added, shaking off his irritation as he looked back at Jake tiredly. "I thought you deserved to know. I mean, if you care _half_ as much as he made out-"

"More." Jake said thickly, blinking away his grief as fury began to cuddle in his gut. "Why the hell is he goin' back to _them?!_ What the hell... I thought we..." He groused roughly, his brow furrowing in confusion as he smoothed the letter out again and reread the awful words. _I'm going to head back to my parents house... I'm sorry, I know you don't like them, but I think maybe they were right. I'm just not cut out for this place... I've made a mess of everything, again, and I just; I think its time to just admit that I was wrong. Please, come see me one day. I'll miss you, dude... -Taylor._

"Taylor... had a few things going on when you guys met." Diego said carefully, his eyes distant as he recalled everything his friend had told him. "If you really wanna know, I can fill you in... But, I warn you; its straight up down the rabbit hole fucked up, dude."

Jake frowned at Taylors goodbye note for a moment longer, before raising his gaze to Diego's determinedly. "I don't care." He said, as Diego's lip hitched into a lopsided grin. "Tell me... Please." He asked, drawing in a deep breath as Diego broke out in a wide smirk.

"I knew I was gonna like you." He said, eyeing Jake appreciatively for a moment, before re-telling the story as Taylor had explained to him a few days before. By the time he'd finished, he and Jake had ambled through to the living room, sitting on the couch in stunned silence as the events from Taylors perspective sank in.

Finally Jake sighed, leaning against the back of the couch as he shook his head and scratched his stubbled cheek thoughtfully. "When he said he knew who I was, I just assumed..." He said, his tone heavy with guilt, regret and realisation. "I mean, how the hell was I supposed to know he was one wing short of a plane..?"

"You think he's crazy?" Diego replied, his brows raising in surprise as he looked over at Jake, who's distracted gaze seemed to be locked onto the coffee table. "Taylors a lot of things, dude... But liar he isn't. I mean, he tries sometimes, but he's really awful at it. Like, _really_ awful." He snorted, and even Jake chuckled in agreement, before he sighed wearily.

"Ya seriously expect me to believe some... magic, wish council assigned him a... a Christmas Fairie?" He asked skeptically, running a hand through his hair as he stood from the couch and strolled over to Taylors resurrected tree, jerking his thumb toward the Fairie with his brow raised in obvious disbelief. _"That_ Fairie?" He scoffed, shaking his head as he looked up and gently tapped one delicate toe. He turned back to Diego with a snort, folding his arms over his chest and rolling his eyes. "Yeah, hard pass. Maybe... maybe Taylor just... hit the whiskey a little hard over the festive season, ya know?"

"Taylor would hardly have gone home to his family, just for having got drunk and making an ass of himself." Diego said, shaking his head and folding his arms over his chest. "He's _so_ embarrassed by this, he's willing to go back and live under the rules of the people who've done nothing but look down on him, shut him out and made his life miserable; ever since he got here." He explained, scowling as he usually did, whenever Taylors family were mentioned. "I just..." He sighed, pushing to his feet tiredly and walking to the nearby window, looking out with a sad expression. "I just wish I could've stopped him... I wish we found that note with enough time to catch him before that damn flight!" He fumed, slamming his hand against the windowsill in a burst of frustration. 

Jake sighed, scrubbing his hand over his face tiredly. He swallowed heavily and raised his hand, running his fingers through his hair as he looked over at the couch with a distant expression, envisioning an echo of the only other time he'd dat upon it. "I..." He said gruffly, clearing his throat as he shook his head sadly. "I wish I'd told him how I felt. I was so... I didn't wanna scare him, I mean, I knew he was flighty but..." He sighed, slowly moving past the couch and reluctantly heading toward the hall. "Well, I just wish I had a chance to tell him." 

Jake coughed, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looked around the apartment longingly. "I had a few things I wanted to tell him, actually... but I guess none of it matters now. I uh, I should probably..." He said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder awkwardly and turning away.

"Wait! You can't go, dude!" Diego yelped, hurrying around the living room towards Jake. "What do we do now? We have to make a plan! We have to... to save him from making a huge mistake!" He cried insistently, waving his hands in emphasis.

Jake snorted and shook his head, refusing to meet Diego's eyes as he replied. "Heh, nah..." He said, attempting to sound dismissive but o ly succeeding in sounding hollow. "He's made his choice, Short Stuff... and now, we all gotta live with it." He said thickly, turning his back and beginning down the hallway. "Besides, ya said it yaself, ain't anyway for us to reach him before his flight... and unless ya expectin' me to fly ya after him in my invisible plane, he's soon gonna be way further than just an airport." He scoffed, his hand on the door handle as he paused and hesitantly glanced back at Diego, his cerulean gaze softened by his grief. "I'm sorry, for what its worth. He was... he was a pretty special guy."

Diego watched on helplessly as Jake drew in a deep breath, half turning away to open the door when he frowned suddenly, turning back towards him again. "What?" He asked, glancing around himself nervously when Jake's locked his confused gaze upon him and stepped uncertainly closer. "Hey, I'm a married man, _weirdo..._ Why're you looking at me like that?" He demanded, yelping and stepping aside as Jake made his way back up the hall, frowning when Jake slowly walked straight past him, realising his gaze had been locked somewhere behind him. "Dude, wha-"

"Somethin'..." Jake drawled reluctantly, his gaze narrowing in suspicion. _"Moved."_ He said firmly, his hands readying themselves at his sides, suspicion etched in the tense lock of his shoulders. "Looked an awful lot like somethin'... _Glittered."_ He added grimly, cautiously stepping back into the loving room with his back firmly facing the wall, surveying the room slowly.

"Dude, what the hell kinda Scooby doo, ridiculous mystery do you think you're a part of?" Diego snorted, folding his arms over his chest as he followed after Jake with obvious amusement and frustration. "C'mon, dude, we gotta-"

"... We ain't alone." Jake said lowly, scowling around the apartment suspiciously. "Pinky, get behind me and-"

"Oh god..." Diego sighed, relaxing as he rolled his eyes. "Of course we're not alone. My husband might be quiet, but I assure you he's  still-" he began, only to fall silent as another voice cir over him.

"Ooh, you are just a big ol' hunk of gorgeous!" Came a giddy female voice, and Diego blinked several times, staring in confusion as Varyyn slowly backed into the room, attempting to fend off an ecstatic redhead in a glittering blue ball gown."Well if I weren't on a time limit, I would just-"

"Hey!" Diego yelped, rushing forward and grabbing his husbands hand, tugging Varyyn behind him protectively, as he narrowed his eyes at the strange woman. "The only thing you just gotta do is keep your paws off!" He  said, scowling as he stood as tall as he could, and still only came up to Varyyn's shoulder. _"Mine!"_ He snapped, swatting at the redheads hand, when she waved at Varyyn cheekily over his shoulder.

"Lady, I dunno where the hell ya came from, but ya got some serious explainin' to do." Jake demanded, scowling at the excitable redhead, as she gasped and turned towards him with a huge smile. "How the hell did ya even get in here? This place has one entrance, and ya sure as hell didn't come through it-"

 _"Jaaaaake!"_ She squealed happily, throwing her arms around him and forcing him into an unexpected and unwanted hug. "Oh, you handsome, _handsome_ man! Taylor is so lucky and he is just gonna flip his cute little tush when he gets it into that thick skull of his that you feel the same!"

"Who the hell are ya, and how'd ya know Taylor? How'd ya even get in here?!" Jake demanded, narrowing his eyes as he glared at her sharply. "Whaddaya mean by ' _feel the same_ '?" He asked, his heart skipping a beat in nervous, hopeful excitement.

" _Oh... my... god_..." Diego gasped, staring at the redhead in disbelief and awe. _"You're..._ I mean, you... Wow." He huffed, a small smile beginning to break free on his lips.

"Ya wanna share with the class there, Pinky?" Jake growled, attempting to free himself from the redheads grasp, as she giggled and nuzzled her face into his chest. "Godammit, _quit_ that already!" He snapped irritably, his clear eyes narrowing at her, as she ignored him entirely.

"It's _her,_ Jake... She's the one Taylor told us, or at least; told me, about." Diego said in an excited rush, cautiously moving closer and smiling broadly. "The one who was granting his wish, the Christmas Fairie!"

"Oh, for cryin' out-" Jake groused, rolling his eyes as he struggled to restrain the curiously strong and wriggling redhead. "All this crazy is givin' me a goddamn headache... Just... Quit standin' there, Blues Clues and get this broad offa me!" He pleaded of Varyyn, who spread his palms helplessly and smirked as Diego purposely held him back.

 _"Broad?!"_ The redhead cried, pulling away and scowling at Jake, jabbing an accusatory finger into his chest. "Hey, I am the Christmas Fairie assigned to you, _buddy!_ So you wanna quit it with the 'broad' stuff, right now, mister handsome! My name, is Quinn!"

"You are _exactly_ how he described!" Diego said quickly, stifling a laugh behind his hand as Jake glared at him. "No wonder he liked you so much..."

Quinn's shoulders drooped, and she turned away with a heavy sigh. "Maybe he _did..."_ She said quietly, shaking her head slowly, her hair billowing behind her like it was caught in an oceans tide. "But he was so... _embarrassed,_ after-" she paused, glancing back at Jake guiltily, as his eyes narrowed in sudden consideration. "After everything... I don't think he liked me very much then."

"What the _hell_ is goin' on?" Jake demanded lowly, following after the redhead as she made her way through to the living room, pausing by the window to gaze out into the morning light sadly. He glanced at the tree, and his scowl deepened when he noticed the topper had disappeared. "Oh, no. _Nope,_ this is just too weird-" he began, cursing and shaking his head as Quinn turned towards him.

"After you left, he..." She tried, breaking off with a frown briefly, before breaking into a blissful grin, her eyes distant as she recalled the evening. "Oh, I was _so_ happy for you two! I mean, you guys got kinda x-rated in here, even before all of your; ' _Ya got three choices, I can see, Boy Scout_ '!" She giggled, her voice falling to a perfect imitation of Jake's southern drawl, as he flushed an embarrassed shade of red beneath his stubble and down his throat. "I was _so_ proud of him for finally following his heart..! But then, after you left-"

"Wait, if ya were there for all of that..." Jake cut her off roughly, scowling as he eyed her in realisation. "It was you, wasn't it? Ya the reason he threw me outta here faster than some cheap hooker!" He accused, running his hands into his hair and turning away in frustration. "Oh god, bad enough this whole magic, _Fairie_ crap is real; now I find out they get their kicks bein' voyeu-"

"Hey! I can't help what I see when I'm on the tree!" She defended quickly, pouting as she rest her hands upon her hips. "Just because it happened to be incredibly hot, doesn't make it my fault you got yourself all steamy out here!" She said, though her lips twitched with amusement. "Anyway, handsome, you're missing the point here. We have to get you to Taylor, so he doesn't close his heart off entirely!" She insisted, delicately slapping her palm with a small fist.

 _"Pfft,_ yeah okay, Red." Jake scoffed, shaking his head as he scrubbed his hands over his face tiredly. "Seems to me like he's gone to extreme lengths, just so he don't have to see me again." He sighed, his hands falling to his side with a faint thud as he turned around slowly. "Besides, even if I wanted to chase after his dumb ass... Ain't no way anyone can catch up to him before he boards that flight."

"Well, Mr. Doubty pants, it just so happens that Taylors flight has been delayed by forty five minutes... at the moment." Quinn snarked, poking him in the shoulder and fixing him with a grim expression. "I can only do so much though, handsome! You're gonna have to do some of this work yourself!"

"What? How-" Jake demanded, his breath quickening as he calculated in his head, working out the odds of him now reaching the airport before Taylors plane left.

"Uh, magic. _Duh."_ Quinn drawled, rolling her eyes as she began to shoo Jake closer to the window, flapping her hands at him and forcing him to back up.

"Hey, what the hell are ya-?!" He cried, raising his hands to defense himself from Quinn's tiny battering's. _"Godammit,_ quit it already! Ya... pain in the ass... Fairie! What are ya bloody playin' at?!" He demanded, scowling as she finally ceased her playful attack, bringing him to a halt by the window and grabbing his hand to hold him in place.

"Just don't let go." Quinn said, ignoring his question. "Oh, and it might be a little bumpy... _Technically,_ I'm kinda breaking the rules right now. Your wish wasn't actually approved by the council when I accepted it..." She warned in a far too innocent voice for Jake's liking.

"Wait, what are you-" Diego began, stepping towards them with a small frown of concern.

"No time, sweetie! Wish us luck!" Quinn giggled, beginning to glitter as she smiled brightly and gripped Jake's hand tight between both of her own, refusing to let him squirm away from her grasp. _"Woohoo!"_ She laughed, as Jake swore and reluctantly held on to her tightly.

If asked later, Jake would forever claim that the 'journey' Quinn took him on was the single most disturbing experience of his life, however the truth was that he barely had a chance to form an opinion of it. Between a terrifying blink of the eye, his world dissolved into colours and blurred shapes, before reforming around him into the vaguely familiar layout of the airport terminal, just past the security checkpoint. "Urgh, get offa me, ya crazy broad..." He groused, snatching his hand away and scowling at Quinn irritably before finally looking around the airport thoughtfully. "So, uh... Do ya have any idea where my idiot Boy Scout is hidin'..?" He asked, frowning when Quinn turned to him with an ecstatic smile and eyes which brimmed with joyful tears. "What? Why're ya lookin' at me like that, ya crazy-"

"Never mind." Quinn said, rolling her eyes with a snort. "Moments over." She said, turning to scan the crowds carefully. "When Taylor sent me away, I wasn't supposed to keep track on him, but... that little cutey is my friend!" She said, her lower lip trembling with the threat of a sob. "So I, uh... I kept track of his movements through a familiar. They should be coming up from just over... _there..."_ She explained distractedly, narrowing her eyes at a break in the crowd where a head of spiked red hair could be seen.

Jake's mouth turned dry, his heart thudding heavily as hope and anxiety clashed within his chest. "Uh, Red?" He said slowly, his eyes fixed on Taylors hair, catching brief and vague glimpses of his saddened face when the crowd moved around him. "He's gonna peg us soon as he clears the checkpoint, and I can almost guarantee the little idiot is gonna book it as soon as he does..." He warned, reluctantly tearing his eyes from Taylor to look at Quinn, who was smirking over at Taylor smugly.

"Oh, he's _not_ gonna clear the checkpoint." She said confidently, giggling to herself as Jake raised a brow at her. The next moment, a loud yelp resounded through the hall, and Jake turned back to the security checkpoint curiously. 

"Hey, no! That's _not_ mine!" Taylor protested loudly, shaking his head vehemently as the crowd parted, allowing Jake to see the small blue blur which was whirling over him rapidly. "I've never seen it before, I _swear!"_ He pleaded, as a burly security guard blocked his path.

"I'm sorry sir, all pets and uh, _exotic_ pets especially, have to be declared before boarding." They said, ushering Taylor towards one of the security's holding rooms. "I'm afraid we're going to have to detain you until your pet has been, uh... _caught_ and this has been cleared up." They said, guiding a spluttering and protesting Taylor into the small holding room.

"Wow..." Jake hummed in approval, watching as Taylor was sequestered in a private room; realising that he had no chance of escape should Jake be able to sneak in there. "I gotta admit, Ariel, I'm impressed... I don't suppose ya got any other tricks up ya sleeve, that'll get me into that room..?" He said, looking over to find Quinn studying him carefully.

"Taylors really scared, you know? Not just of you... but of everything he feels for you too." She said, smiling as she shook her head gently. "Just, you're really gonna have your work cut out, okay? But... I think you can do this." She said, flashing him a wide smile, before darting away from the wall and dashing down to the security checkpoint.

"Hey! Crazy goddamn Fairie, get back here!" Jake whispered furiously, scowling as Quinn raced down the hall and crashed into the guards.

"Ooh! Handsome, gorgeous, and down right sexy!" Quinn giggled, turning in a circle and laughing at the stunned faces which gazed back at her. "Oh, I am just gonna have to take you all home and give you some of my home baked cookies! Ooh, and _you_ can have one of the naughty shaped ones..!" She cooed, giggling and dancing our of a guards grasp, as she winked at one of the younger and more handsome guards. With delicate steps and dainty hops of her small feet, Quinn evaded every attempt the guards made at capturing her, leading them slowly down the hall towards the main airport. Just before the corner, she glanced back at Jake, who stared in stunned disbelief as she winked and blew him a kiss, a small lip mark fluttering down the hall like a butterfly and finally.alighting on Jake's cheek.

As he grimaced and moved to wipe the mark away, Jake saw Quinn laugh one last time, before disappearing with the guards close on her trail. "Crazy broad..." Jake muttered, shaking his head as he hurried forward, his heart swelling to block his throat as he reached the private security room and gently gripped the handle. "Okay... I can do this." He said, swallowing thickly and cursing himself for acting like a lovesick schoolboy. 

"I swear," Taylors voice struck him like a physical blow as he opened the door, the other man having avoided him since their intimate exchange. "I have no idea where the hell that _thing_ came from!" He promised, and Jake couldn't help but smile as he entered to see Taylor sat at a small table with his head in his hands.

Jake glanced down the hall quickly, before he closed the door, pausing to click his tongue dramatically. "Damn, ya really go all out to avoid the mornin' after talk, huh?" He finally asked, carefully eyeing the way Taylors shoulders tensed immediately. "I mean, I figured ya for a runner but... I never thought ya'd go to such extremes." He said, slowly approaching the table and coming to a halt behind the only other chair, his hands gripping its back tightly as he stared at Taylor.

"I gotta admit," Jake continued, as Taylor refused to raise his head and look at him, though he was clearly listening intently. "That Christmas Fairie ya got is... a _handful."_ He said, rubbing at his cheek distractedly as he carefully stepped around the small table and approached Taylors chair. "Sure seems like she's got a soft spot for ya though, seein' as she's breakin' all these rules for ya..." He added, humming in playful thoughtfulness.

Jake finally trailed off, his breath catching in his throat as he tried to think of something further to mention. He was saved from finding yet another topic of discussion to tempt Taylor with, when the other man huffed in frustration and shook his head slowly. "I should have known..." He scoffed, growling quietly and curling his hands into fists, as he flopped back in his chair. "This is all Quinn's doing, isn't it?" Taylor demanded with a sigh, finally raising his reluctant gaze to Jake's. "How'd you even-?"

"It's a helluva long story, Boy Scout..." Jake snorted, a half grin curling his lip as he purposely slid along the table and perched on the corner nearest Taylor, noticing him tense but pleased and hopeful when he didn't bolt across the room. "To be honest, I think ya little sidekick would rather explain it to ya; him and his weird, but cool husband both... They're both pretty cut up about ya runnin' out on 'em..."

Taylor sighed and covered his face with his hands, hiding his embarrassment from Jake as much as he could. "I knew they would be..." He admitted quietly, shaking his head as his fingers parted and slid higher to card through his hair. "But, I knew they'd try and stop me, and I couldn't-"

"Couldn't let 'em convince ya that what ya were doin' was wrong." Jake said knowingly, and Taylor looked at him in surprise. "Heh," Jake snorted, reaching for the edge of the table as he lowered his eyes to the floor in obvious embarrassment. "Like I said... takes one to know one, Boy Scout."

"How can you know so much about me?" Taylor demanded, his brow creasing into a frown of exasperation. "You're not... Quinn didn't..." He bit his tongue, scowling as he sighed heavily and glanced away. "I-"

"Ya freaked out, 'cause ya showed a side of ya, that ya ain't even acknowledged in years..." Jake said gently, still gazing at the floor in shy deference. "Ya spent so long, tellin' yaself that ya don't need anyone, that lettin' people in is a mistake; that ya actually started to believe it... And then ya met someone, and everythin' changed." He said thickly, clearing his throat as he glanced across the room. "I get it, Boy Scout... I do, _more_ than ya know. Ya think ya were the only one taken by surprise when we started hangin' out?"

"But..." Taylor shook his head, his brow creased in confusion as he unconsciously leaned closer to Jake, eager despite himself to hear more. "You can't seriously be telling me that you... But, you're _gorgeous!_ You're, you're-" he babbled, falling silent as he continued to silently mouth at words he couldn't voice.

"Heh, ya ain't too shabby yaself." Jake hummed playfully, turning back to Taylor and gently reaching out to brush his fingertips across Taylors jaw. Taylor bit his lip, seeming torn by Jake's touch, both leaning into the gesture and trying to pull away. "Taylor, I... I agreed to help Mike 'cause he said ya were a good guy, and ya didn't deserve the kinda stress that workin' in that place over Christmas alone would lump on ya." He explained hesitantly, carefully choosing his words as Taylor jerked his face away from Jake's hand. "I had no idea what ya looked like, no idea of anythin' past ya name and a location for ya job. He talked to ya friends, told 'em the bosses weren't keen on the idea, so s'long as they just didn't report it, ya'd have some backup-"

"Stop it, just _stop_ it already!" Taylor pleaded, the chair legs scraping against the floor harshly as he shoved away from the table and began to pace agitatedly. "I don't wanna hear about what a good laugh you all had at my expense! I don't want to hear about how _pathetic_ you all think-"

Taylor yelped abruptly, as Jake moved faster than he could follow, backing him up and caging him against the wall; though he didn't try to touch him. "Ya know _damn_ well that _nobody_ thinks that, save for yaself. So don't try and pull that shit with me." Jake growled lowly, as Taylor bit his lip and stared at the floor, his cheeks practically glowing red. "I was knocked for six, when this guy I'm supposed to be babysittin' turned out to be the guy I hit on when I got to town." He said quietly, as Taylor peeked up at him in surprise. "I gotta admit, I was pissed ya hadn't phoned." He said, looking down as he tentatively reached for Taylors hand and loosely threaded their fingers together. 

"... Diego used your number to clean Varyyn's face." Taylor reluctantly confessed, as Jake snorted in amusement. "I did try to ask you for it again, though... but you'd already disappeared." He added accusingly, drawing in a shaky breath as Jake smiled crookedly and slowly leaned closer, knocking their foreheads together.

"Ya friends are a danger to struggling single guys everywhere." Jake sniggered, as Taylor swatted him for the jibe, but bit his lip and covered his mouth to hide a small chuckle. "I'm sorry I never told ya, Boy Scout... When ya said ya knew everythin', I just assumed-"

"Yeah... I know how it must have sounded." Taylor said, swallowing thickly and drawing in a deep breath. "Looking back, you weren't exactly trying to hide anything. I just never put things together, what with Quinn and everything, I guess I just..."

"Took the easy route." Jake guessed knowingly, nodding as Taylor winced and sighed heavily. "Ya ain't got nothin' to be ashamed of, ya know? Nobody thinks anythin' of all this..." He said softly, his fingers making Taylor shiver as he trailed them up his arm to his throat, slipping behind his neck and gently caressing the soft hairs at the nape of his neck. "Well, I mean they didn't, _now_ they're all freakin' out 'cause they think ya hate 'em-"

"I don't _hate_ them... I just, I can't trust anything I thought I knew now." Taylor said thickly, weakly trying to shift away from Jake, though he didn't resist when Jake held him in place.

"Like what? I never _lied_ to ya, ya know?" Jake quickly assured, frowning as he ran his eyes over Taylors deeply flushed face. "Anythin' I told ya about my past was-"

"No, its not... it's nothing like that." Taylor countered, biting his lip as he glanced at Jake, before looking away again. He exhaled heavily as he tried to find the words, his fingers unconsciously rising to toy with Jake's jacket zipper. "I... I told myself that there was no harm in letting _you_ in, because you weren't real. You couldn't hurt me by wanting to be with someone else, by... I let you see a _me_ that, I haven't been in years. I let you convince me to do stuff that I gave up on-"

"Oh yeah, the singin'..." Jake said, releasing Taylor abruptly as he began to pat down his jacket and jeans. "Hold on a second..." He said, holding up a finger as Taylor frowned in confusion, watching Jake fumble to find his phone and bring up a batch of text messages. "I uh, I wanted to show ya this the day after we..." He paused, his cheeks darkening beneath his stubble as he waved his brows suggestively, causing Taylor to laugh despite his best efforts not to. "But, ya were already hidin' from me... and I didn't have ya number." He added, clearing his throat as his eyes flashed with pain. "Gotta say Boy Scout... was pretty harsh."

Taylor bit his lip and winced guiltily, peeking up at Jake briefly before taking the offered phone and reading through the messages. "What _is_ this..?" He asked, his brow furrowing as he found a video which Jake had attached, gasping when a clip of himself singing on the store display began to play. "Oh my god... What the _hell_ did you _do?!"_ He demanded, glaring up at Jake accusingly as he scratched his ear guiltily.

"Well... Ya were pretty distracted durin' ya first go, and the video ain't great 'cause ya were nervous, but it really picked up when ya got into it..." Jake explained, gesturing to the small clip of Taylor beginning to dance on the stage like area. "And, after that kid asked ya to go back... It was even better. So I sent it to a buddy of mine, works for a recordin' studio..."

Taylor stared in disbelief, shaking his head as he looked back down at the phone and scrolled further through Jake's messages. "... They want me to _what?!"_ He yelped suddenly, his eyes widening as his gaze shot up to meet Jake's.

"Heh, mostly they want ya to sing some more." Jake sniggersd, gently plucking his phone from Taylors tight knuckled grip. "But I think the general idea is they record ya doin' it, and make a buncha money; ya'd have to ask them though, I weren't really payin' attention to the details." He said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Jake..." Taylor breathed, shaking his head in awe and confusion. "This is..." He swallowed heavily, shuddering and gripping at Jake's arms for support, as the implications of the offer hit him hard.

"Just one more reason, _not_ to run away?" Jake suggested hopefully, causing Taylors eyes to snap up to his own in surprise. "Listen, I ain't exactly the best at..." He said awkwardly, sighing as his heart began to beat harder in his chest, his pulse rising as he realised he was going to have to be entirely honest, if he wanted to convince Taylor to stay. "The whole, _talkin'_ about ya feelin's thing. I always preferred _show_ to _tell..."_ He said gruffly, hesitating, before capturing Taylors cheeks between his palms and leaning forward to kiss him with a gentleness which made Taylor hum in surprise. His lips moved cautiously, as if afraid Taylor might break if he kissed him any harder.

Taylors hands rose to cover Jake's own, a distressed whimper leaving his throat and causing Jake to immediately pull away. "I'm sorry, I just..." He huffed breathlessly, his eyes stinging as he sensed Taylors hesitance, desperately searching his face for some sign he was getting through to him. "Taylor, I don't want ya to go. I don't wanna lose what I think we have, what I think we could make together! I ain't scared of much, Boy Scout, but ya scarin' me now... 'cause I feel like ya slippin' away still and I haven't even _told_ ya yet!" He said in a rush, his words blurring as he tried to contain the turbulent surge of emotions in his heart.

"Told me what?" Taylor asked, his breath seeming to catch as Jake locked his gaze onto Taylors deep blue eyes. He bit his lip, his hands squeezing Jake's arms encouragingly as he pressed their foreheads together. "Told me _what?"_ He repeated in an urgent whisper, his gaze pleading as Jake's grip on the back of his neck tightened.

"I..." Jake choked, his throat thick with the rapid beat of his heart, his blood seeming to burn in his veins. "That I," he tried again, pausing to inhale a deep breath through his nose. He paused, examining Taylors scared, hopeful expression carefully; before his nerves and hesitation finally melted away into the background. "Aw, hell... I love you, Taylor." He said determinedly, caressing Taylors cheeks softly as he stared back at him in wide eyed surprise.

"Jake, I..." He began, before he shook his head and averted his eyes. Jake's heart began to sink in his chest, and he couldn't hold back the disappointed sigh which escaped him.

"It's okay, Boy Scout..." He said, swallowing thickly before removing his hands from Taylors cheeks, taking a few steps back and stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets, half turning away to hide the disappointment in his eyes. "Just, ya have _options,_ ya know? People ya can rely on, depend on and who'll be more'n happy to help ya." He said, clearing his throat and locking his eyes on the door, sensing their time was almost up. "Whatever ya gonna do though, ya probably better hurry up. I don't think Red is gonna be able to keep 'em distracted much longer." Finally, reluctantly, Jake returned his eyes to Taylor, who was watching him curiously. "If ya really wanna go... I won't stop ya, but; ya gonna be throwin' away another chance at ya dreams, Boy Scout. I hope ya know I'll still help ya, however ya need me to, _if_ ya need me to; _want_ me to, even... 'cause I don't think ya _need_ anyone to-"

"Thankyou, Top Gun." Taylor said quietly, smiling shyly as he approached the other man, shaking his head as he stepped up before him. "But... I actually think my dreams might have changed a little." He said, biting his lip as Jake lowered his gaze and nodded sadly.

"I uh, I probably better go find that crazy broad..." Jake said roughly, turning away as he felt himself shiver, disappointment and grief clouding his heart as he moved towards the door. "Though I'm tellin' ya now, I ain't lettin' her magic dust me anywhere again. I'm gettin' a goddamn cab back..." He groused petulantly, trying his best to mask his pain with amusement. He paused, half glancing back to Taylor sadly and clearing his throat. "I uh, I'll miss ya, Boy Sco-" before he could say anything further however, the door swung open so hard it almost snapped off its hinges, and a giggling redhead crashed into the room.

"C'mon, cutey! Time to go!" She cried, grabbing hold of Jake's hand before he could protest. Immediately the shimmering and glittering began, and Jake yelled in denial as Quinn released him only seconds later, once more in Taylors apartment. Jake grimaced, yanking his hand free and stomping away from the excitable Fairie, shaking his head and muttering to himself.

 _"Jake!_ What happened? Did you-" Diego began, falling silent when he caught sight of Jake's hollow eyed expression. "Dude, I'm so sorry... I know how stubborn he can be, but I really thought-" he trailed off as Jake waved a hand at him distractedly, moving to the kitchen to find the bottle of whiskey Taylor had picked up after the fight they'd been in.

"Well... I guess it just weren't meant to be." Jake said roughly, scowling as he found the familiar bottle. "Like me and this whiskey, apparently." He snorted, tossing the empty bottle into the trash. "Whatever... I need a damn drink. Catch ya later, Short Stuff." He said abruptly, his heart aching with grief and distress. Without giving himself a chance to doubt his actions, heading for the front door.

 _"Wait!"_ Diego called urgently, his expression twisting with sympathy as he tried to follow after Jake. "Wait, give him time! I'm sure-" he tried to call, as Jake ignored him and pulled open the front door; only to suddenly freeze in surprise.

"Uh... Why do I get the feeling Quinn just did something weird?" Taylor said, frowning as he stared a Jake in his doorway, blocking the other man from exiting. Taylors eyes widened as he drank in the other mans expression, husbhesrt twisting with guilt as he spied the rejection in his cerulean gaze. "You know, you never seem to let me actually make a choice myself..." He said quietly, slowly stepping closer to Jake and pressing his finger to his lips when he seemed about to speak. "Jake, you've been honest with me. The least I can do is offer you the same treatment." He said, drawing in a deep breath to steady himself.

"I have never been so embarrassed, as when I realised my friends had lied to me; even though, it was to protect me, in a way..." He said slowly, taking time to pick his words  carefully. "That said... I _may_ have over reacted." He said, pointedly ignore Jake's derisive snort. "It was easier for me to believe you weren't real... At first. But the more time I spent with you, the more I came to wish that you _were_  real _,_ because... somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you." He said determinedly, his heart skipping a beat as Jake's chest hitched with a missed breath. "I was _so_ scared of that... I didn't know how to tell you, or what it would mean for _us._ But then, it turned out you really  _were_ real... and it scared me even more. I let my embarrassment smother everything else I felt, I couldn't forgive myself for being such an idiot, such a fool... and I'm sorry, beca- _hmmph!"_

Taylor hummed in surprise when Jake's hands rose suddenly to cup his cheeks, drawing him in to a deep and passionate, demanding kiss. He whined, plastering himself to Jake's front and wrapping his arms around the other mans neck, both janging on for support and trying to pull him closer. It was several long seconds later that Jake released him, the both of them panting lightly and his cerulean eyes dazed, as he looked down at him and swiped a shaking thumb across his cheek. "Sorry... ya were talkin' _way_ too much, Boy Scout." Jake said, sounding utterly unrepentant for having cut Taylor off.

"Hmm." Taylor hummed, nuzzling Jake's jaw shyly. "Well if you're gonna shut me up _that_ way then..." He began, trailing off as Jake laughed breathlessly, causing Taylors heart to swell as he eyed him with such obvious affection. "I can't promise I'm gonna be any good at this whole, _relationship_ thing, but..." Jake sniggered softly at Taylors conflicted expression, shaking his head fondly.

"We can figure it out together." He assured, grinning broadly as he slid his hands down Taylors arms and pulled him into the apartment. "Until then though..." He added, smirking wolfishly as he shirt the front door behind them.

"Oh my _god..!"_ Diego cried, his eyes widening as he poked his head around the living room door and spied Taylor, whose face paled significantly. "Oh, you are so _for it_ assbutt!" He swore, narrowing his eyes at Taylor as he shifted to try and hide behind Jake.

"Oh no, this is all way less than ya deserve." Jake scoffed, staking up the hall towards Diego and forcing Taylor to follow him if he hoped to remain behind any sort of cover.

"Diego... now lets not overreact, here." Taylor said pleadingly, his palms splayed before him in placation, as Diego raised a brow at his choice of words. "Just, let me explain-" he tried, though Diego ignored him.

"You gave me a damn heart attack!" Diego cried, as he folded his arms over his chest and pouted at Taylor accusingly. "How many times did I tell you to _talk_ _to me_?! I told you to just talk to _Jake,_ and instead you run away and leave me with some _dumb note_ that said you were going back to those... those... _people!"_

Taylor winced, biting his lip as he peered at his friend guiltily. "... But I came back..." He offered gently, grinning when Diego rolled his eyes and snorted, crossing the room to draw him into a hug.

 _"Never_ do that to me again, ya idjit." Diego demanded fiercely, noticeably quivering with light sobs which he was clearly trying to stifle. "Else I am officially replacing you with a rock as my new best friend."

"Yeah, okay." Taylor agreed easily, sighing in relief as he held Diego tightly for a moment. "... _bitch."_ He murmured, and smiled when Diego laughed roughly in his ear.

 _"Jerk."_ He sniffed, drawing away to smile back at Taylor and bump their fists together in playful camaraderie. His eyes lifted over Taylors shoulder, and he smirked as he nudged his friend. _"Sooo..._ did you guys f-"

"Oh god, I can still catch my flight, you know?" Taylor groaned, blushing as he glanced behind him to catch Jake smirk as he leaned against the window, clearly having guessed what Diego was about to ask. "Just shut up, assbutt. I do _not_ need you giving him any ideas!" He added, stepping back as Diego spread his palms innocently and grinned. Taylor sighed, turning away and approaching Jake shyly, biting his lip as their hands laced together naturally. "Hey, you." 

"Hey." Jake hummed in reply, grinning down at Taylor with obvious relief and awe. "Still alive, then?" He sniggered, as Taylor swatted him with his free hand.

"No thanks to _you."_ Taylor groused petulantly, leaning against Jake's chest and listening to the rumble of his laughter within. They fell silent, content with being in each others presence as they gazed out of the window.

"... Ya know, it's supposed to be good luck to wish on the clouds, of they're streaked with red and pink against a blue sky." Jake murmured quietly, his hand gently caressing Taylors back, as he tipped his chin towards a patch of clouds which were painted pink and red against the blue sky behind them.

"Hmm." Taylor hummed, glancing back across his living room to his tree; where his Fairie tree topper sat, with a pair of huge gossamer wings fluttering behind her. He bit his lip in futile effort to contain his smile, turning back to Jake with a small giggle. "I think I've actually had enough of wishes for now..." He said, laughing quietly as Jake grinned and slid a finger beneath his chin, leaning down to capture his lips in a lingering kiss which promised Taylor; he would never need to make another wish.


End file.
